Government and Community Relations - University of Florida

Mark Kaplan is Vice President for Government and Community Relations for the University of Florida and is a proud Gator parent and alum. Mark and his team engage policymakers and stakeholders at local, state, and federal levels to create an environment for UF to earn sustained recognition as one of the nation’s best universities, top healthcare systems, and most impactful agricultural research and extension enterprises. 

Much of Mark’s career has revolved around public policy, organizational leadership and advocacy, including roles as chief of staff for Gov. Jeb Bush and executive director of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the state’s affordable housing agency. Mark also was global head of public affairs and a member of the corporate senior leadership team at the Mosaic Company, one of the world’s largest integrated crop nutrition companies.

Earlier in his career, Mark was a judicial clerk to a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and special counsel in the office of the Speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives. Mark has served on a variety of public and nonprofit boards, including Florida’s State Board of Education and as Chair of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Mark received his B.A. with honors in political science from UF and graduated first in his class from the Florida State University College of Law.

Mark and his wife, Sherry (also a Gator alum), are empty nesters with four kids who attended four different Florida public universities.