Biography
Mark received his B.A. degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas San Antonio. After receiving his degree, he went to work for JDM Associates in 1989. He received an Accessibility/Usability Specialist certification from the I.C.B.O. in 1995. Mark became an Independent Contract Provider (ICP) for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in January 1997. He received an I.C.C. Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner certification in 2001. Mark then transitioned with the TDLR Architectural Barriers program, becoming one of its first Registered Accessibility Specialists (RAS) beginning in 2002.
Mark has experience through work on a diverse collection of projects from public and private schools, gymnasiums, medical offices, nursing/retirement facilities, business offices, retail, churches, shopping centers, recreational facilities, and vehicle/equipment maintenance and service facilities. His experience is not only derived from his review and inspection of projects, but is grounded in his understanding of the design, implementation, and management of a similar diverse collection of architectural projects.
Mark became a member of what is now the Accessibility Professionals Association (A.P.A.) in 2009 and served as their Communications Committee Chair for four years beginning in 2014. Mark worked on the creation of the APA/ADA Specialist Examinations and proctored all the testing at the 2017 to 2020 APA annual conferences. He served on the APA Board beginning in 2019 and was its Treasurer in 2021 and 2022. He is currently serving on the APA Texas Chapter Board as Treasurer.
For more than thirty-four years, Mark has worked to ensure accessibility in both the design of new projects and through the problem-solving process for existing sites and facilities. He has performed countless plan reviews and inspections of projects for clients in an official capacity and as a matter of due diligence for other clients.