About
Mark Austin is a mission-driven executive with 25+ years designing and delivering high-impact development strategies across fragile and transitional nation states with proven ability to build and lead cross-functional coalitions--including U.S. government, multilateral agencies and finance institutions, and national ministries. He is a driver of system-level transformation in health, finance, and rural/urban development, managing portfolios exceeding $100M and advising multilateral and bilateral leaders on health systems and policy reform. Fluent in English, German, and Arabic, and grounded in results-driven planning, participatory governance, and operational excellence, Austin is a trusted partner to US Government agencies, multilateral organizations and development banks, civil society groups, and host governments.
MIDDLE EAST POLICY AND PLANNING. Austin has extensive experience living and working in Morocco, Egypt, Israel, and Palestine and has advanced language skills in multiple Arabic dialects. From designing and implementing successful research proposals as a Fulbright Scholar in Morocco, to leading multi-sectoral strategy designs in Yemen, to leading post-conflict recovery planning for the US government in Yemen, he is well-versed in regional contexts, cultural nuances, and program efficiencies.
IMPLEMENTATION DURING CRISES. Throughout his career, Austin has been in the center of crisis response, from the engaging private sector philanthropy in the 2001 Iraq War to coordinating interagency response in the Ukraine and Gaza crises. In 2022, he served on the interagency planning team for Ukraine's health systems recovery, leading efforts to improve the transition planning between emergency response and long-term development. Then in 2024, he was appointed to lead the White House National Security Council planning effort for early health systems recovery in post-war Gaza.
STRATEGY AND PROGRAM DESIGN. Austin has played a role in high-level domestic and international strategic engagements. He served as a core member of the Global Health Initiative interagency coordination team, reporting directly to the Secretary of State and helping to launch "Saving Mothers, Giving Life," a $200 million public-private partnership. He has been a key player in ministerial-level strategic dialogues between the US and India and helped plan and execute India's 2013 global Call to Action Summit for Child Survival. He now leads his own strategic consulting firm, Austin Global Strategies (www.austinglobalstrategies.com), providing practical policy analysis and business development and global growth strategies to public and private sector organizations seeking to expand their markets.
BUILDING LASTING PARTNERSHIPS. Creating coalitions is at the core of Austin's work. His calm demeanor, ability to "read the room," and experience in cross-cultural contexts allow him to build and maintain effective relationships across donors and stakeholders and between disparate government agencies. His work has led to codified shared goals across development, diplomacy, and defense. His ability to negotiate and find common ground makes him a trusted advisor.
TRAINING & OUTREACH. Austin is frequently sought out as a panelist, trainer, facilitator, and communicator for important outreach events. He has been a regular lecturer/trainer at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute (FSI), George Mason University Graduate School for Policy, and Brigham Young University's Kennedy Center for International Studies as well as the Departments of Anthropology and Middle East Languages. He has also been a regular panelist and trainer for Department of Defense health officers, including senior military planners and policymakers, to enhance collaboration and improve the effectiveness of civilian-military global health engagements.
In his free time, Mark enjoys cycling, skiing, playing music, and attending his son’s clarinet performances with his wife.