Auburn Public Schools Foundation selects founding executive director

Mark Hancock has been selected as the Auburn Public Schools Foundation's executive director.

For the Reporter

Mark Hancock has been selected as the Auburn Public Schools Foundation’s executive director.

Hancock has been a familiar face in Auburn for the past 23 years, having been active in the community since his arrival as the owner’s representative for the development of the SuperMall in 1990.

He served as project manager for Henderson Homes in the Lakeland Hills neighborhood and as community representative for Segale Properties.

Throughout his time in Auburn, Hancock has been involved in community organizations, including serving on the boards of Auburn Sister Cities Association, Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce, Auburn Noon Lions and the Auburn Symphony Orchestra. Through his employers and volunteer work, he has been able to support a variety of Auburn nonprofit organizations.

“I am excited to continue my service to the Auburn community in this new position,” Hancock said. “Auburn is my adopted home town and has been good to me for many years. It is gratifying to be able to give back and contribute to Auburn’s future through enhancing the educational opportunities of our young people who will be leading Auburn going forward.”

APSF board president Peter Beckwith said: “The foundation is thrilled to bring Mark on board. His background with the Auburn community will be a tremendous asset as we work to expand the educational opportunities for Auburn students.”

Kip Herren, Auburn School District superintendent, added: “It is great to see our new foundation get established and under way with Mark’s guidance. We look forward to new avenues for our alumni and friends in the community to partner with us and support our students.”

Hancock comes from a family of educators and his background includes a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership from Seattle University, and certificates from the University of Washington in nonprofit management and fundraising management. He also is a graduate of Auburn’s Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound.

The APSF was recently founded in recognition of the fact that public funds alone cannot adequately support the essential efforts to advance student achievement in the district. Its mission is to build financial partnerships with individuals, corporations and foundations so all students have the resources needed to achieve academic excellence.

APSF seeks to be a unifying organization that enables the Auburn School District to expand outstanding learning opportunities and access to all students. It supports programs and initiatives serving students through a range of funding activities and engagement with district stakeholders.