Mark Brimhall-Vargas

Mark Brimhall-Vargas is the Assistant Director of the Office of Human Relations Programs at the University of Maryland in College Park. His responsibilities include managing the public relations and marketing materials for OHRP; Chairing the Staff Issues Committee; co-management of the campus-wide Diversity Initiative; conducting diversity trainings, developing facilitators for the Intergroup Dialogue Program, teaching a variety of courses related to identity development, dialogue, and mediation; and other functions associated with OHRP. Outside of OHRP, Brimhall is a resource to students. He frequently assists students in the Pride Alliance, the undergraduate LGBT student organization, the Latino Student Union, and the Hispanic Heritage Committee. He is also a member of the Latino Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Student Association.

In the past two years, Brimhall has also begun his Doctoral work in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Policy and Leadership. His research interests include religious identity development and its impact on dialogue experiences.

Prior to being the Assistant Director, Brimhall was the Ford Foundation Diversity Project Coordinator. He managed the functions of the Diversity Web, the Diversity Newsroom, and the creation of Diversity Blueprint: A Planning Manual for Colleges and Universities. Previously, Brimhall worked at Fiscal Planning Services where he coordinated various projects relating to State Finances, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials where he conducted advocacy research on the Latino community, and at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities where he conducted research on poverty issues.

Brimhall anticipates finishing his Doctorate in 2009, and holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College. Originally, Brimhall hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

You can email Mark at brimhall@umd.edu, or call him at 301.405.2840.