Mark Bergel

Founder, President and CEO of A Wider Circle

Mark is the only individual ever inducted into both the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame and the
Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame. Mark’s efforts have also led to his selection as a Washingtonian of the Year and as one of People Magazine’s “All-Stars Among Us,” recognizing individuals who have made incredible contributions in their communities. He has also received the Cyrus A. Ansary Medal, the Dr. Augustus White III Award for Civic Engagement and Service, the Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Award, a CNN Hero Award, and many other awards and recognitions.

Under Mark’s leadership, A Wider Circle grew every single year since its founding. The organization has served more than 300,000 children and adults, was described by the Washington Post as “the quintessential grassroots movement,” and was three times named as “one of the best” by the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

After 19 years at the helm of A Wider Circle, Mark co-founded The Shared Humanity Project to focus on poverty eradication on a national level. A cornerstone of the new entity is The National Plan to End Poverty, a plan that focuses on how every American can engage in the eradication of poverty.