Mark Shriver

Mark Kennedy Shriver, born on February 17, 1964, in Washington, D.C., is an American politician affiliated with the Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Montgomery County's District 15, from 1995 to 2003, serving two consecutive terms.

Shriver comes from a family with notable political and public service backgrounds. His mother was Eunice Mary Kennedy. He is part of the Kennedy family, with his paternal father being Sargent Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps, a former U.S. ambassador to France, and the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1972. His sister, Maria Shriver, has worked as a journalist and served as the First Lady of California during her marriage to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger until their separation in 2011. His brother, Bobby Shriver, has held positions such as city council member and mayor of Santa Monica, California. His ancestor, David Shriver, was a delegate of Frederick County, Maryland, signatory to Maryland's Constitution and Bill of Rights during the 1776 Constitutional Convention.

Shriver attended Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland, graduating in 1982. He earned a bachelor's degree from the College of the Holy Cross in 1986 and subsequently obtained a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in 1993. His godfather was Donald Dell, a former professional tennis player.

His early career involved involvement in juvenile justice and public service advisory roles. From 1989 to 1994, he served on the Maryland Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. Starting in 1991, he was a member of the board of the Public Justice Center. During 1991-1992, he participated in the Maryland Governor's Task Force on Alternative Sanctions to Incarceration, and from 1994 to 1995, he served on the Maryland Governor's Commission on Service.

In 1994, Shriver was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, and he was reelected in 1998. He chose not to seek reelection in 2002, and he was succeeded by Brian Feldman. During his legislative tenure, he participated in task forces on the Maryland Prepaid-Tuition Savings Program and governance issues pertaining to the University System of Maryland.

He co-founded The Choice Program, an intervention project for at-risk youth associated with the Shriver Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, established in 1987. From 1999 to 2003, he served on the Advisory Board on After-School Opportunity Programs. He also served on the Judith P. Hoyer Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Child Care and Education during 2000-2001.

In the political arena, Shriver ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in 2002 but was defeated by Chris Van Hollen, securing 40.6% of the vote versus Van Hollen's 43.5%.

In 2003, Shriver joined Save the Children, serving as Senior Vice President for U.S. Programs until 2013. In this role, he oversaw programs related to early childhood education, literacy, health, and emergency response across the United States. Since 2014, he has been the President of Save the Children Action Network and also holds the position of Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs & Advocacy. His work focuses on building bipartisan support in the U.S. for early childhood education and efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide. In 2021, he was appointed President of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School.

Shriver married Jeanne Ripp on June 26, 1992. They reside in Bethesda, Maryland, with their three children: Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Shriver (born 1998), Thomas “Tommy” Kennedy Shriver (born 1999), and Emma Rose Shriver (born 2005).

He is also an author, having written “A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver,” which won a Christopher Award in 2013, and “Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis” in 2016.

His honors include multiple honorary doctorates from institutions such as La Roche College, Seattle University, Wheelock College, College of the Holy Cross, and Loyola College in Maryland. He has received numerous awards: the Maryland Children's Action Network Legislative Sponsor Award (1999-2001), Maryland League of Conservation Voters Environmental Leadership Award (1999-2001), Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award of Excellence (2002), The Arc of Maryland Outstanding Legislative Leadership Award (2002), and the Father of the Year Award from the Mother's Day/Father's Day Council (2008).

==References==

==External links==

Curriculum vitae at Maryland legislature; Biography at the Trust for Early Education; Ancestor David Shriver