The Honorable Mark Kennedy is a thought leader on engaging to win, whether organizations engaging governments and societies globally, advocates seeking to achieve or avert action, or countries marshaling support for collective action.

Mark brings insights to speaking and teaching from serving as a senior executive at one of America's largest companies (Macy's) during a period of radical transformation, serving as a U.S. Congressman during similarly turbulent times, advising both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama on international trade and now leading George Washington University's (GWU) Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM).

Kennedy introduced the concept of "Shapeholders" to the field of business strategy - the political, regulatory, media, and activist actors that shape a firm's opportunities and risks. Kennedy reveals how to effectively engage shapeholders both at home and abroad to profitably advance business strategies while benefiting society.

Since assuming leadership of the GSPM, the graduate school has become widely recognized as the academic leader in global advocacy and digital engagement. It was recognized by PRWeek as the top public relations education program.

Kennedy is Chairman of the Economic Club of Minnesota and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of Washington and the Chatham House in London. He is also affiliated with GWU's Elliott School of International Affairs' Institute for International Economic Policy.

Mark believes collaborating is essential to success. While a Republican Congressman, he partnered with twenty Democrats to introduce and lead legislation; more than half of the Democrats in the U.S. House co-sponsored one of his bills and nearly all voted in support of at least one of his initiatives.

Kennedy is a frequent commentator in media including BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Foreign Policy, FOX, MSNBC, NPR, Politico, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

Kennedy has lectured or led research projects at the University of Pennsylvania / Wharton, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, NYU, Maryland, Minnesota, London Business School, HEC-Paris (Paris, Doha), Mannheim (Germany), LUISS (Rome), Deusto (Spain), Vienna, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing) Globis (Tokyo), Meiji (Tokyo), NUS-Singapore, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) and Fundação Getulio Vargas (São Paulo).

A graduate of St. John's University, Kennedy received a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) with distinction from the The University of Michigan.

Mark and his wife Debbie have four successful adult children. When not traveling, they split their time between Washington, DC and Minnesota.