Mark Billingsley

Mark Billingsley has served the Shelby County community for three decades as a non-profit fundraiser, college Vice President, elected official, and reserve police officer. He is a mainstream conservative who has fought for fiscally responsible public policies. Mark is respected for his temperament and ability to work with people from all parts of Shelby County while remaining committed to his conservative beliefs.

Mark began his career in the non-profit field as Director of Development and Marketing for United Cerebral Palsy of the Mid-South. He later served as Executive Director of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association. Mark grew the association from 800 member companies to over 1,500 companies making the Memphis area association the thirteenth largest home builders organization in the U.S.

Mark went on to serve as Foundation Director for Methodist Healthcare and Vice President for Advancement at Christian Brothers University. In both roles, he was responsible for raising millions of dollars and working closely with leadership at the hospital and university. Mark has continued to build on his deep relationships across the Shelby County community in his present role as Executive Director of the Alliance Foundation. A five-decade old organization with a mission to assist those with mental health and substance abuse challenges, Mark is responsible for every aspect of Foundation strategy. In just two years at Alliance, he has secured gifts and pledges of over $40 million to carry out the Foundation’s mission.

In January 2014, Mark was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. He was elected to his first full term later that year and re-elected in 2018. Mark served one year as Chairman of the county commission. He left the commission due to term limits in 2022.

Additional community service:

• Germantown Alderman, 2008-2012
• Germantown Vice Mayor, 2012
• Shelby Farms Park Conservancy Board Member, 2014-2022
• Memphis-Shelby Crime Commission Board Member, 2013-2019
• Germantown Reserve Police Officer, 2000-2006

A graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis. He is completing a Master of Arts degree in Leadership and Public Service from Lipscomb University.

Mark has been recognized for his leadership in our community with numerous awards, including:

• Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year, Association of Fundraising Professionals, 2022
• “Memphis Most” Favorite Elected Official, The Commercial Appeal readers, 2020
• Christian Brothers High School Hall of Fame, inducted 2017
• “Top 40, Under 40”, Memphis Business Journal, 2002

Mark is married to the former Diana Walker and they are parents of two young adults. Connor is a recent graduate of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, and Hannah is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Martin. The Billingsley family resides in Germantown.