Gary Marx, CAE, APR, is president of the Center for Public Outreach (CPO), in Vienna, Va., an organization he founded in 1998. CPO provides counsel on future-oriented leadership, communication, education, community, and democracy. As an international speaker, workshop leader, and consultant, Marx has worked with education, community, business, association, and government leaders at all levels on four continents and in all 50 of the United States. He has been called an "intellectual entrepreneur, who is constantly pursuing ideas" and a "deep generalist."
As a futurist, Marx has directed studies such as Preparing Students for the 21st Century (1996), Preparing Schools and School Systems for the 21st Century. (1999), Ten Trends . . . Educating Children for a Profoundly Different Future (2000), Future-Focused Leadership: Preparing Schools, Students, and Communities for Tomorrow'Â’s Realities (2006), and the current Sixteen Trends . . . Their Profound Impact on Our Future. He is also author or co-author of numerous other books and articles, such as: Excellence in Our Schools . . . Making It Happen, Building Public Confidence in Our Schools, Public Relations for Administrators, and Working With the News Media.
During his career, Marx has been a source for local, national, and international news media on issues affecting education and society. Prior to launching the Center for Public Outreach, Marx served for nearly 20 years as a senior executive for the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and as executive editor of more than 150 education leadership publications. He provided communications leadership as an administrator for the 10,000-student Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Neb., and the 82,000-student Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado. His numerous contributions have included: the Steering Committee of CIVITAS International, the PBS Education Advisory Board, "The More You Know" NBC Advisory Board, the Emmy Awards Selection Committee (for children's television), and planning and executive committees for education for both the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. He has served on the boards of both the Education Writers Association and Horace Mann League. He has also taught courses at a number of universities. Marx was a television and radio broadcaster and station owner before moving into education. He has narrated many soundtracks and programs, including events such as the Presidential Scholars program at both the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Constitution Hall.
Marx was presented the coveted President's Award by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in 1999 and the Distinguished Service Award by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) in 2000. He is accredited by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and is a professional member of the World Future Society.
