Seneca native follows passions to the East Coast

By Correne Martin

A passion for public service, community organizing and technology have provided a foundation for a career that Mark Anthony Dingbaum, a Seneca native now living and working in New York, N.Y., never believed he might someday experience.

He could have never dreamed he would have a hand in the Boy Scouts of America’s historic vote to overturn its ban on gay members. He also couldn’t have imagined being appointed by the nation’s president to serve in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Yet, these achievements are now reality for the 2004 Seneca High School graduate.

“Thanks to technology, ordinary citizens, especially young people, have more power to create change today than our parents and even our grandparents had,” Mark Anthony, 30, said. “The hours are long and the problems are complex—but at the end of the day, it’s worth it. Each day, you get to go home knowing you’ve done your small part to help make our country a little bit better.”

Mark Anthony was born in Iowa, one of three children to Roger and Sheri Dingbaum. The family moved to a small dairy farm in the Seneca area when he was 5 years old. His parents still live on the farm but have sold the herd.

Mark Anthony attended college at the University of Iowa, double-majoring in communications and political science. Just as he was in high school, he became heavily involved in student activities in college and was elected by his peers to lead the student senate. He also led a student-based nonprofit, which recruited more than 2,000 students to volunteer more than 15,000 hours of community service with the local United Way.

“Service learning opportunities opened so many doors for me and taught me at an early age, as far back as middle school, that I too had a voice and could make a difference in my community,” he articulated.
His first job also involved volunteer service, as the tobacco-free coalition coordinator for Crawford County Public Health, from 2004 to 2005. In that role, he partnered with community groups, health officials and law enforcement to encourage young people to stay free of tobacco.

Mark Anthony’s career pathway really took off in college, after he ran a race for student body president, but lost by 95 votes. He learned that he had been a victim of an organized smear campaign among campus fraternities. Their argument: Do you really want to elect the University of Iowa’s first openly-gay student body president? Though he was devastated, the defeat taught him two valuable lessons: that he couldn’t always win and that hard work alone won’t overcome prejudice.

“From that moment on, I became pretty politically involved and committed incredible energy and passion into the LGBT equality movement. I organized events on campus, lobbied the Iowa state legislature and volunteered with statewide efforts that would ultimately succeed in helping Iowa become one of the first states in the nation—and the first in the Midwest—to provide equal marriage rights for all of its citizens,” Mark Anthony said proudly.

From Iowa, he moved to Washington D.C. to run a digital campaign for the national Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps train and elect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender candidates running for public office at all levels. Next, he headed to New York with a campaign to help re-elect then Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, now U.S. Senator Gillibrand, who serves as an ally for the LGBT community.

Then, he briefly headed cross country to San Francisco to work with CREDO Mobile, a company that uses digital tools to mobilize support for marriage equality campaigns.

“Creating social change isn’t just a career. It’s very much become part of who I am,” he shared.

Wanting to do more “work worth doing,” in 2011, Mark Anthony joined the tech company Change.org, the world’s largest online petition platform. By managing campaigns and communications for people everywhere wanting change, he found that his passion and experience truly came together.

This is where the biggest challenge of his professional life presented itself.

For 13 months, Mark Anthony worked with Ryan Andresen, Jennifer Tyrrell, Zach Wahls and a group of Boy Scouts and Scout leaders to mobilize councils across the country—organizing 124 petitions and 1.8 million signatures—in support of ending the Boy Scouts’ anti-gay policy. Andresen is a lifelong Boy Scout whose Scoutmaster refused to sign his Eagle Scout papers when he learned of his sexual orientation, despite the fact that Andresen completed all requirements. He and his family launched a Change.org petition. Tyrrell, a Scout mother and leader, launched a Change.org petition, too, after she was banned from leading her son’s Cub Scout pack because she was gay. Zach Wahls is a high-profile Eagle Scout who helped both Andresen and Tyrrell speak out and even appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show (during which Mark Anthony was backstage).

Eventually, on May 23, 2013, the Boy Scouts of America overturned its ban on gay members. And, thanks to a narrative about the campaign written by Mark Anthony and sent to Ragan’s PR Daily Awards, Change.org earned the honor of 2014 PR Campaign of the Year.

“Being in that room in Texas, waiting for the Boy Scout vote, while surrounded by people who had worked so incredibly hard to overturn the ban, was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life,” he said.

Making a profound difference in such a campaign undoubtedly helped Mark Anthony make more of a name for himself in the industry. His talents were even noticed by President Barack Obama, who appointed him first director of social media at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in 2014. There, his job was to use digital strategies to help recruit and support a diverse federal workforce to serve the American people. After a year, Mark Anthony was promoted to deputy director of communications and digital director of the agency, through which he led a team of over 15 communications professionals in supporting White House communications.

“Being connected has made it possible for people to quickly and affordably organize efforts behind relevant issues,” he noted. “Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Change.org have inspired, and indeed pushed governments and companies to be more responsive and accountable to the people they serve.”

During his time working for the OPM, he set up a White House visit for his mom and sister. Other memorable events included Pope Francis’ historic visit, the LGBT pride reception, the annual White House holiday party and decorations tour, as well as the national Christmas tree lighting. “I was excited to watch Tom Hanks, Patti LaBelle, Fifth Harmony and Chely Wright while sitting only a few seats away from the First Family,” he added.

As his desire to make a difference has increased, so has Mark Anthony’s resume. In December, he left the OPM to join the Clinton Foundation. As deputy director of communications, he supports efforts to improve global health and wellness, increase opportunity for girls and women, create economic opportunity and progress and help address climate change effects.

Throughout all of his growth professionally and personally, Mark Anthony has continuously tapped into his Wisconsin roots. Benefitting him along his journey are those strongly-ingrained origins of volunteerism and community, challenge-seeking drive and loyal/hard-working core values.

In considering advice to young people back home who are thinking about their futures, Mark Anthony said, “Do work that inspires you every day. Do work that creates opportunity for others. Don’t be afraid of being different. What makes you unique and special, what sets you apart from the crowd, that’s what will really help you move forward.”