Mark Fisher was appointed President and CEO of the Council of the Great Lakes Region by the Council’s board in 2014. Established in 2013,the Council is a bi-national nonprofit that brings decision-makers from
business, government, academia and the nonprofit sector together to deepen the United States – Canada relationship in the region, and to find new ways of harnessing the region’s economic strengths and assets and protecting the environment for future generations.

Prior to his appointment, he was a foreign policy advisor in the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat of the Privy Council Office where he focused on advancing Canada’s relationship with the United States and
Mexico, as well as countries in the Asia-Pacific, in the areas of trade, security, energy and the environment.

He is a seasoned professional with extensive knowledge of the public policy making process, board governance, strategic business planning, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and issues management.

Mark also has extensive experience providing advice to key decision- makers and influencers, including the Prime Minister of Canada, provincial premiers and ministers, parliamentarians, and c-level executives from the private and not-profit sectors. Among his many accomplishments, he is the recipient of the Royal
Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence, and is the creator of the Great Lakes Economic Forum and the Current magazine.

In addition to his role with the Council, Mark is an elected school board trustee with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. He was also recently appointed to the International Joint Commission’s Great Lakes Water Quality Board and sits on the boards of the Clean Water Foundation, a charity dedicated to preserving and protecting Canada’s water, and Easter Seals Ontario, a charity that helps youth with physical disabilities achieve greater independence.