Mark S. Critz

Mark worked for Congressman John Murtha starting in 1995 until his passing in February 2010, before serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from May 2010 until January 2013.

In Congress, Mark served on the House Armed Services Committee and the Small Business Committee. He also co-founded and co-chaired the Marcellus Shale Gas and the Army Aviation caucuses in Congress. Mark has been the Executive Director of the PA Rural Development Council for Governor Tom Wolf since April 2015, advocating for rural Pennsylvanians and advising the Governor on rural issues. Mark has been an adjunct professor at St Francis University, teaching courses in State & Local Government and the Legislative Process since 2013.

Mark and his wife, Janey, a speech pathologist in the Greater Johnstown School District, live in Johnstown with their twin children. Mark was recognized for his excellent service to our nation’s military when he was awarded the Patrick Henry Award by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) in 2008. It is the highest civilian award issued by the National Guard. Other awards include the Army Aviation Association’s Knight of the Honorable Order of St. Michael, the Laurel Highlands Veteran Community Award from the Veteran’s Community Initiatives, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2010 and 2012 Friend of the Farm Bureau Awards, the National Farmer’s Union 2011 and 2012 Golden Triangle Awards, the Richard Crawford Award from the St. Francis University Small Business Development Center, and is a inductee to the All-American Amateur Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame.