Mark R Kennedy
- Mark Kennedy is a first-generation college graduate whose leadership spans public service, higher education, global strategy, and civic renewal. He has served as President of both the University of Colorado and the University of North Dakota, a U.S. Congressman representing Minnesota, and is the founding director of the now-independent Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, a leading voice on America’s role in a contested global order.
- His career reflects a consistent calling: to align institutions—whether public, academic, or civic—with the needs of society and the responsibilities of democracy. Kennedy brings a 360° leadership perspective shaped by service across sectors, a record of results in times of transformation, and a belief that leadership is ultimately about empowering others and strengthening trust.
🧭 Strategic Leadership Across Sectors
- Led CU’s $5B system with an AAU flagship, top-ranked medical center, and Power Four athletics
- Delivered record $1.4 billion in research funding and $455 in fundraising, while advancing affordability and inclusive excellence
- Elevated UND through a bold strategic plan that led to increased graduation rates, and R1 research designation
- Served three terms in Congress, writing bipartisan legislation and helping craft a U.S. Farm Bill
- Oversaw global retail innovation and financial strategy as a senior business executive
🌐 Global Thought Leadership
- Kennedy has taught, lectured, or led programs in over 20 countries across five continents—including courses at Cambridge, Penn, Johns Hopkins, NYU, GWU, Sciences Po, and the University of Tokyo. Through the Wahba Institute and his prior leadership at the Wilson Center, he has convened senior policymakers, academics, and industry leaders to strengthen America’s economic, technological, and democratic competitiveness.
- He is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses, a Civic Leader for the Secretary of the Air Force, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Boston Global Forum’s Board of Thinkers. His media commentary appears in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and The Washington Post.
🎓 Championing Education & Inclusive Excellence
- Kennedy has led with a commitment to access, affordability, and student success—expanding support for rural, Indigenous, and first-generation students, tying inclusive excellence to strategy, and diversifying leadership teams through merit-based hiring and promotions. At both CU and UND, he fostered climates of free expression, institutional trust, and academic innovation.