Mark Brainard Jr. graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (2010) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (2022).  He has spent over 10 years working in state and local government with experiences in higher education, the legislature, and municipalities.

Mr. Brainard began working for the University of Delaware’s Office of Government Relations in 2011 as one of only two lobbyists to the State of Delaware and the City of Newark. In 2013, he joined the staff of the Majority Caucus in the Delaware House of Representatives, assisting elected officials with policy research, legislation, and constituent relations. Mr. Brainard worked for the City of Newark from 2017 to 2019, overseeing procurement policy, contract processes, and facilities maintenance. In 2019, he returned to the Delaware General Assembly as a Policy Analyst for the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee, where he and his team restructured the Committee’s performance review process, improving operations while saving time and resources.

Since 2015, Mark has served on the Board of Directors of Newark Day Nursery and Children’s Center, a nonprofit childcare center located in downtown Newark. In 2022, he was elected the Board’s President.