Mark Newton

Mark Newton’s diverse background as a college athlete, theatre actor, educator, coach, mentor, fundraiser, and administrator makes him a natural fit for his role as Executive Director at the Riekes Center. He brings creativity, inspiring leadership, and vision—skills he began developing at Riekes as a youth in the late 1980s—to help move the center into the future. It was Mark’s relationship with Gary Riekes and the Riekes Center staff, and his belief in the mission and impact of the Riekes Center that inspired him to step away from traditional education to take on this new responsibility.

Most recently in his career, Mark served as Upper School Head and Principal at Oakwood School in Morgan Hill, Calif. He helped Oakwood staff and students navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting isolation by starting and championing programs focused on social and emotional well-being. Mark supported the  revitalization of the school's arts and athletics programs, expanded counseling and created wellness initiatives, and launched diversity and inclusion efforts to help  every student feel a sense of belonging in the Oakwood community and realize their dreams for the future. 

Mark started his career as an actor in New York and Los Angeles, using his experience as a college football player to help coach a high school team in his spare time. He eventually decided he was much happier teaching and inspiring youth than he was pursuing theatre and film roles. This realization led Mark to return to the Riekes Center in 2001 as its first Director of Development. He grew contributions significantly by establishing a database of more than 3,500 prospective donors and attracting new donors through special events that featured notable musicians and future Olympians with ties to Riekes.

Mark then immersed himself in education, becoming a history teacher, head varsity football coach, theatre director, and Dean during his 17-year tenure at Menlo School in Atherton, Calif. He also created and taught a mindfulness curriculum rooted in the latest neuroscience in human development and achievement to help his students improve their performance in academics, athletics, and the arts, and to strengthen their intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence.

In 2010, Mark was named a Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal Coach of the Year by the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA). PCA annually honors 20 youth and high school sports coaches from throughout the U.S. who embody the ideals of the Double-Goal Coach: striving to win while also pursuing the second, more-important goal of teaching life lessons through sports.  

Mark holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University. When he’s not at the Riekes Center, Mark is spending time with his wife and daughter, both active members of the Riekes community already.