Strategic Leader. Global Educator. Public Servant. Bridge Builder.
Advancing institutions and nations through purpose-driven leadership, strategic insight, and global engagement.
Navigating the Crossroads of Power and Purpose
Mark Kennedy is a national and international thought leader at the intersection of higher education, government, business, and national strategy. His career spans Congress, two university presidencies, global teaching, and influential leadership in geoeconomic statecraft and strategic competition. From aligning diverse university communities to shaping U.S. and allied responses to authoritarian challenges, Kennedy brings a 360° perspective to today’s most urgent institutional and geopolitical imperatives.
✳️ In an era of geopolitical rivalry, technological disruption, and declining trust in institutions, Kennedy applies a rare blend of experience—in policy, academia, and private enterprise—to build resilience, unlock opportunity, and advance the public good.
As a university president, U.S. Congressman, White House advisor, business executive, and scholar, Kennedy has led at the intersection of civic purpose and competitive strategy. His mission has been consistent: to bridge divides—between public and private sectors, between research and impact, and between global ideals and institutional practice.
⚡ “Bridging public strategy and private dynamism. That’s where I live.”
A Scholar-Practitioner in a Fragmented World
- Kennedy’s academic work began with Shapeholders, a framework for how institutions—corporate or governmental—can strategically engage external forces. Today, as Director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, he brings that same integrated thinking to help the U.S. navigate global competition across technology, Kennedy’s academic work began with Shapeholders, a framework for how institutions—corporate or governmental—can strategically engage external forces. Today, as Director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, he applies that same systems-level insight to national strategy—helping the U.S. lead in a world where technology, economics, diplomacy, and defense are deeply intertwined.
- He has led programs on five continents, taught at premier universities, and authored works that guide both institutional transformation and U.S. policy. As a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses and a Civic Leader supporting the Secretary of the Air Force, Kennedy continues to advise on strategic deterrence, security alliances, and the protection of maritime and space domains.
A 360° Leader Across Sectors
Mark’s cross-sector career has honed a 360-degree vision—an ability to reconcile the perspectives of business, government, academia, media, and civil society. He has:
- Served in the U.S. House of Representatives, advised on White House trade policy, built coalitions on Capitol Hill
- Guided the University of Colorado and the University of North Dakota through transformation while advancing student success and research
- Directed a top graduate school of applied politics
- Championed inclusive excellence, civic education and free expression on campus
- Forged global partnerships through immersive teaching in 20 countries on five continents
- Engaged with communities and leaders in over 45 countries, including refugee camps, conflict zones, 60+ military installations, and three aircraft carriers at sea.
He knows both the inner workings of politics and the outer narratives that shape public trust. Whether leading major public universities, advancing bipartisan economic and security policy, or building institutional trust amid controversy, Kennedy has proven himself a bridge builder in divided times.
📌 Quick Facts & Impact
- First-generation college graduate, U.S. Congressman, president of two universities
- Led University of Colorado (CU) through the pandemic while maintaining flat tuition
- $1.4B in research and $455M in fundraising in final year at CU
- Put University of North Dakota (UND) on a path to achieve R1 research status
- Increased graduation rates across all groups at both CU and UND
- Director, George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management
- Taught in 20 countries on five continents
- Author, Shapeholders: Business Success in the Age of Activism published by Columbia University
- As Congressman from Minnesota, co-authored bills with 20 Democrats
- Founding Director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition
🌍 Scholarly Reach & Strategic Engagement
- 🧭 360° Vision: From the House floor to higher ed’s frontlines.
- 🌐 Geoeconomic Strategist: Helping the U.S. lead where tech, trade, and diplomacy meet.
- 🛡 Trust Builder: Leading with transparency and shared purpose.
📌 Featured Areas
🗣️ What Others Say
- ⭐ “Kennedy doesn’t ignore the elephant in the room; to the contrary, he looks it straight in the eye.” John King - CNN
- ⭐ "Mark Kennedy has done an outstanding job for Colorado and the university in a challenging period." Hank Brown, Former CU President and U.S. Senator
- ⭐ “Almost all progress and innovation at UND currently flows from the work you started.” Faculty Chair of University Senate