Mark Gooden was inducted to serve as the newest board member for the Community Mental Health and Recovery Board on October 10, 2009.

Mark is a Claim Team Manager for State Farm Insurance; currently in a developmental role as Assistant Finance Manager for the Newark Operations Center.  He has worked for State Farm over 15 years, working in Cincinnati; Jacksonville, Florida; Cheshire, Connecticut; and Newark, Ohio. He was a Cub Scout Den Leader for five years and has been a Reynoldsburg Youth Football Coach for the past six years.

He acquired his BA Political Science from Hampton University and MBA from Ohio Dominican University.
He holds the following designations:  Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Senior Claims Law Associate (SCLA), and Associate in General Insurance (AIC).  Mark is a member of the National Hampton Alumni Association and National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators.

He is married to Valerie with two children Ciera (14) and Mark II (11).   He would like to apply the communication and people skills he has groomed during his 10 years in management to the non-profit public interest sector.

Mark has agreed to serve on the Finance Committee and was appointed by the Licking County Commissioners.