Mark Svoboda

As Director of the National Drought Mitigation Center’s (NDMC), Svoboda administers and oversees the center’s staff and mission. Mark works closely with federal, tribal, state, basin, local and international officials and governments on drought monitoring early warning information systems, drought risk management planning and collaborative research. Svoboda is the co-founder and served for 17 years as one of the principal authors of the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. His work with the Core Team of the Western Governors’ Association led to the development of a report and recommendations on creating a National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) for the United States. He is currently a member of the World Meteorological Organization/Global Water Partnership Integrated Drought Management Programme’s Advisory Panel and also serves on the NIDIS Executive Council. Mark was recently selected to serve as a member of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s (UNCCD) Science Policy Interface (SPI) team. He was also recently appointed to serve as a drought preparedness working group co-leader for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG). Mark’s bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees were all obtained at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.