Mark Edwards Joins Barr Board of Trustees

The Barr Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Edwards to its Board of Trustees. Mark’s three-year term begins September 2021.

Mark is CEO and co-founder of Upstream USA, a nationally-recognized, fast-growing nonprofit working to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. Upstream partners with states to provide sustainable training and technical assistance to health centers to ensure all women have same-day access to the birth control method of their choice. Upstream’s mission empowers women to decide when and if they want to become pregnant, a critical step towards improving outcomes for parents, children, and society.

Prior to co-founding Upstream, Mark was the founder and executive director of Opportunity Nation, a national bipartisan campaign made up of 300 national nonprofits focused on expanding economic mobility through bipartisan federal policy reform. Mark is a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur and an Ashoka Fellow. He has served on more than a dozen nonprofit boards and advisory committees and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Philips Exeter Academy. A graduate of Harvard College, Mark is the proud father of three girls, and lives with his wife in Massachusetts.

“Mark brings extensive experience in nonprofit governance, and as a founder and leader of several nonprofits, and we are so grateful he accepted our invitation to join Barr’s Board of Trustees.” –Barbara Hostetter, Co-Founder and Chair

“As Barr continues its evolution from a family philanthropy to a legacy foundation, our board will also continue to evolve, as we seek diversity of perspectives and experience to inform our deliberations,” said co-founder and board chair Barbara Hostetter. “Mark brings extensive experience in nonprofit governance, and as a founder and leader of several nonprofits, and we are so grateful he accepted our invitation to join Barr’s Board of Trustees. As the Foundation works to live out its commitments to put racial equity at the center of our philanthropy, Mark’s deep experience in expanding economic mobility will undoubtedly inform and strengthen our efforts.”

“It is such an honor to join as a trustee of the Barr Foundation,” said Mark. “The scale and scope of Barr’s work is significant. Yet, they approach their work with humility as a core value and an understanding of the role philanthropy can play as both steward and catalyst of positive change. I am eager to lend whatever support I can to these incredibly talented and dedicated individuals working to improve the world.”

With Mark’s appointment, the Barr’s governance now consists of eight trustees, with five non-family board members. Mark’s appointment continues the Foundation’s plan to expand its board over time, with a majority of non-family trustees.