Ambassador Mark D. Wallace serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) and oversees both the operational and programmatic efforts of the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism, and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88.
At CEP, Ambassador Wallace leads global efforts to combat extremist ideology through technological innovation, public policy advocacy, and the exposure and disruption of radical financial and communication networks. Under his leadership, CEP has developed cutting-edge tools and technologies to track and disrupt online extremist activity. He frequently collaborates with lawmakers, tech platforms, and civil society to advocate for stronger safeguards against radicalization and the spread of terrorist propaganda.
Most recently, Ambassador Wallace spearheaded the creation of ARCHER at House 88, a new global center for countering antisemitism, extremism, and hate housed in the former residence of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss. In partnership with the Polish government, the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, and civil society leaders, ARCHER employs the legacy of the Holocaust to challenge the forces of modern antisemitism, extremism, and hate. Its official opening on January 27, 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz garnered significant international attention, with Ambassador Wallace giving exclusive interviews to CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, and the BBC, underscoring ARCHER’s importance in an era of rising extremism and Holocaust denial.
Ambassador Wallace previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform, where he exposed financial abuse within U.N. programs, including the notorious “Cash for Kim” scandal involving UNDP operations in North Korea. His tenure was marked by efforts to increase transparency and accountability within the U.N., leading the U.N. Transparency and Accountability Initiative (UNTAI) and opposing misuse of U.N. funds.
Before his diplomatic service, Wallace served in several senior legal roles in the Department of Homeland Security and as General Counsel of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he oversaw and managed all aspects of the FEMA Office of General Counsel which, among other areas of responsibility, acted as counsel to the FEMA-led New York and World Trade Center recovery effort in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Wallace also served as Deputy Campaign Manager to 2004 Bush presidential campaign and as senior advisor during to McCain-Palin 2008 campaigns, directing debate preparation and strategic planning.
Ambassador Wallace has served on nonprofit and corporate boards, including those focused on education reform and financial oversight. His multifaceted career has been driven by a consistent commitment to institutional reform, national security, and now, with CEP and ARCHER, to combating extremism and hate in the face of radicalization and revisionism.
