MarkMcDonald.US
About
Mark is a communications leader and coach with more than 25 years’ experience in digital and traditional media as a journalist, manager, and mentor. He is an Adjunct Professor of Communication at both Georgetown University and American University in Washington, DC.
Since 2014, he has been training and coaching industry leaders, their communications teams, and individual students in Washington DC in digital and traditional media, social media, podcasting and video performance and production, public relations, speech-making, reputation management, and public presentation and performance skills. He is a pioneer in merging traditional and digital media newsrooms and communications departments, and devising campaigns for multi and cross-media branding.
Throughout his career Mark has played a leading role in talent development, training and mentoring hundreds of employees, interns and students, and creating and expanding collaborative media work.
Born in Liverpool, UK, Mark spent 14 years with the BBC in London and around the world as an international news producer and manager for radio, TV, and web platforms.
A recipient of the Edward R. Murrow and DuPont Columbia awards for Investigative Broadcast Journalism, Mark led the expansion of the news operation within the BBC’s New York Bureau, creating groundbreaking daily news programs for both digital distribution and the BBC’s World TV News Channel. He then relaunched the News Department at the New York NPR station WNYC (New York Public Radio) before moving to Washington DC, where his NPR station WAMU-FM rose under his tenure as Director of Programs from 14th in the DC radio market to 1st place*.
During his broadcast journalism career, Mark covered global politics, four U.S. Presidential elections, battlefield conflicts, diplomacy, the United Nations and its agencies, the European Union, and natural and human tragedies. He has extensive experience in communications staff development, training and mentoring, legal and contractual negotiations, internal and external communications, crisis management, and innovative programming. Mark has developed innovative high-quality content which seizes the opportunities of the digital age, both in reaching wider, more diverse audiences and in tapping the new marketing and funding opportunities it provides.
Since 2001 he's continued to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Communication at American and Georgetown Universities, and has guest-lectured at Columbia University, George Washington University, and Howard University.
* Arbitron/Nielsen certified ratings 2014
Seeing people learn and practice new skills, gain confidence as communicators, and excel in soft skills
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Frequently asked questions
What types of students have you worked with?
Grade 7 through adults