Mark Whitley

A lifelong disability advocate, Mark Whitley is President and CEO of Easterseals Southern California. Since assuming that role more than 30 years ago, Whitley has overseen the organization’s growth from a $1.5M to a $330M+ organization, making it the largest of Easterseals’ 70 Affiliates nationwide. Currently serving more than 14,000 people through 70-plus services sites and hundreds of community partnership locations across Southern California, Easterseals Southern California offers the highest quality autism therapies, adult and senior day services, child development and early education programs, residential services, and employment services for people with disabilities and veterans. With a vision to make Southern California the most inclusive place in the country for people with disabilities to live, learn, work, and play, Whitley has developed a team of more than 2,600 professional staff committed to leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access for people with disabilities, veterans, and seniors in their communities through services and advocacy. The organization is the go-to disability inclusion organization in Hollywood and across media and entertainment, earning its reputation through award-winning multi-media campaigns as well as through the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and the Media Access Awards Presented by Easterseals. Whitley began his career with Easterseals in 1976 as a recreation coordinator for Easterseals Arkansas and has held increasingly responsible positions throughout his tenure including at the Easterseals National Office in Chicago and as President of both Easterseals Utah and Easterseals Maryland before joining Easterseals Southern California.