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Mark Ballard

Mark Ballard
Mark B smart smile.jpg
Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh
In office
16 February 2006 – 12 February 2009
Preceded by Tam Dalyell
Succeeded by Iain Macwhirter
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Lothians
In office
1 May 2003 – 3 May 2007
Preceded by David McLetchie
Succeeded by George Foulkes
Personal details
Born (1971-06-27) 27 June 1971 (age 45)
Leeds, England
Political party Scottish Green Party
Spouse(s) Heather Stacey
Alma mater University of Edinburgh
Religion Quaker

Mark Ballard (born 27 June 1971) is a former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region between 2003 and 2007 representing the Scottish Green Party, was Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh between 2006 and 2009, and co-convener of the Edinburgh Green Party from 2007–10. He is now Assistant Director of Barnardo's in Scotland and Editor-in-Chief of progressive politics blog Bright Green.

Ballard was born in Leeds, England on 27 June 1971. During his childhood he lived in Punjab, India (1973–1975) and Islamabad, Pakistan (1984–1985). He married Heather Stacey on 28 September 2002 and has two children, Adam, born in 2006 and Lucas born in 2009. He attends the Edinburgh Central Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

He attended Lawnswood Comprehensive school in Leeds before going on to the University of Edinburgh, where he gained an MA (Hons) in Economic and Social History. He is a life member of the Edinburgh University Union, part of the Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA). In February 2006 he was elected Rector of Edinburgh University (see below).

Between 1994 and 1998 he worked for European Youth Forest Action (now European Youth For Action) in Edinburgh and Amsterdam. After this until 2001 he worked as editor of the journal Reforesting Scotland before setting up an environmental communications consultancy company that ran until 2003. After the 2007 election, Ballard became head of communications at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, before moving to become Assistant Director of Barnardo's in Scotland.


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