[ESIP-all] Mark Parsons appointed ESIP Interim Executive Director

[Susan Shingledecker]

*The ESIP Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Mark
Parsons as Interim Executive Director. *Mark will begin his term with ESIP
on July 18 and will attend the ESIP July Meeting in Seattle along with
current ESIP Executive Director Susan Shingledecker to ensure a smooth
transition in early August. Mark will lead the ESIP staff and support the
Board in their search for a full time Executive Director by early 2026.

Mark has a nearly 20 year history with ESIP dating back to 2006. Most
recently, Mark led ESIP’s strategic planning data gathering effort at the
2024 ESIP Annual Business meeting, he served on the group to help draft
ESIP’s new Mission and Vision in 2023, and was a member of the Search
Committee during ESIP’s last Executive Director transition in 2020.

“With Mark’s long history of involvement in ESIP, I am excited to have him
step into the role of ESIP Interim Executive Director,” says Denise Hills,
ESIP’s Board President. “Mark has always cared deeply about the mission and
vision of ESIP. His leadership will provide stability in this time of
transition as we search for ESIP’s next full time Executive Director.”

Mark is a geographer with more than 30 years of experience in researching,
developing, and implementing data stewardship policies, practices, and
systems. He has strong nonprofit management experience having served as the
first Secretary General of the Research Data Alliance. His work includes
the coordination and stewardship of a broad range of data from satellite
remote sensing to Indigenous knowledge of Arctic change, supporting NASA,
NOAA, NSF, the Sloan Foundation, and the European Commission. Mark led the
data management effort for the International Polar Year and helped
establish the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic
(ELOKA). His published work has guided national and international data
policies and practice and has contributed to educational programs.

“I am excited to step into this role and guide ESIP during this transition
at this critical time for data management and stewardship,” says Parsons.
“I look forward to working with Susan to ensure the ESIP community is
positioned for success in the years ahead.”

Mark and the ESIP Board will initiate a full search for the Executive
Director position in the coming weeks with the aim of having a new
Executive Director in place by ESIP’s January Meeting. More information
will be forthcoming on that search process. If you have questions about
this process, please reach out to president at esipfed.org.

Sent on behalf of Denise Hills, ESIP President
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