Mark Ballam

Mark J. Ballam recently retired from San Diego State University, where he served with distinction as Managing Director of the Wendy Gillespie Center for Advancing Global Business in the Fowler College of Business. In this leadership role, he oversaw strategic planning, budgeting, communications, and advocacy, while managing a $1.2 million U.S. Department of Education grant under the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) program. Under his direction, SDSU CIBER became a national model for advancing international business education and played a pivotal role in shaping SDSU’s globally recognized International Business program— currently ranked #13 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Since joining SDSU in 2005, following a successful career in banking and senior positions at Georgia Tech, Mark has been a tireless advocate for international education. He has helped secure over $10 million in external funding to support global initiatives and has led collaborative projects that significantly enhanced SDSU’s global engagement and cross-border partnerships.

Mark's leadership extends beyond SDSU. He currently serves as President of the Board of the San Diego Diplomacy Council and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of The Forum on Education Abroad, a leading voice in the field of international education. His national service includes roles with the Association of International Business Education and Research (AIBER), the National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC), the San Diego and Imperial District Export Council, Southwestern College’s Small Business Development Center, and SDSU’s International Affairs Council.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Clark University and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His work has been published in the Journal of Innovations in Education and Teaching International, and he is an active member of the Academy of International Business, Scholars Without Borders, and Phi Beta Delta, the honor society for international scholars.

Mark brings to the Board a deep institutional knowledge, decades of international leadership, and a steadfast commitment to advancing globally focused business education.