Senator Mark MacDonald Contact information

Mark Alexander MacDonald was born on December 18, 1942, in Middletown, Connecticut. His father, Donald Gordon MacDonald, was a notable official with the Agency for International Development, directing activities in Vietnam during the peak of the Vietnam War. His mother, Barbara McCloskey MacDonald, was a teacher, farmer, and a member of the Vermont House of Representatives.

Mark MacDonald spent his early years in New Jersey and Washington, D.C., and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington. He earned an associate degree in liberal arts from the Borough of Manhattan Community College in 1966. From 1968 to 1970, he served in the United States Army, including eighteen months in Vietnam. In 1972, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government & International Relations from Clark University. He later attended Norwich University to obtain his certification as a school teacher.

MacDonald moved to Vermont permanently in 1974 and became a resident of Williamstown. He taught social studies at Randolph Union High School and operated a working cattle farm. He is a member of several organizations, including the Orange Southwest Teachers Association, Vermont Beef Producers Association, Orange County Farm Bureau, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Chelsea Fish and Game Club.

In 1983, MacDonald was appointed to the Vermont House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by his mother’s death. He was reelected five times, serving until January 1995. In 1994, he ran for the Orange County seat in the Vermont Senate but was defeated. However, he was elected to the Vermont Senate in 1996 and has served multiple terms since then.

Throughout his career, MacDonald has been involved in various committees and advocacy groups. He has served on the Williamstown Planning Commission, the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, and the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, among others. He has also been a member of the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel and the Vermont Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery Advisory Board.

Mark MacDonald continues to reside in Williamstown, Vermont, with his wife, Roberta. They have three children. His dedication to public service and his community has made him a respected figure in Vermont politics.