The Freedom From Religion Foundation proudly announces that Mark Dann, the organization’s D.C.-based governmental affairs director, has been named one of the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) Top Lobbyists for 2024. This prestigious award highlights Mark’s ethical leadership, advocacy and commitment to advancing the separation of state and church through strategic lobbying and coalition-building.
The award will be bestowed on Mark in person at NILE’s annual dinner on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Since joining FFRF, Mark has played a pivotal role in expanding the organization’s presence and influence in Washington, D.C., guiding key legislative efforts that have significantly advanced FFRF’s mission. Under Mark’s leadership, FFRF’s lobbying efforts have grown in scope and impact, helping to ensure that secular governance remains a top priority in legislative conversations.
“Mark’s work has transformed FFRF’s presence on Capitol Hill. His leadership and strategic vision have helped us achieve critical legislative victories and positioned FFRF as a key player in advocating for secularism,” says Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president and co-founder. “Mark’s ability to build bipartisan coalitions, drive legislative initiatives, and foster meaningful relationships with lawmakers reflects his unwavering commitment to promoting the separation of state and church.”
This year, he oversaw the implementation of FFRF Action Fund’s Dynamic Scorecard (with thanks also to Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne), finalized our endorsement process, developed an Express Endorsement Process for candidates who are incumbents or endorsed by key partners, rolled out key endorsements for federal, state, local and school board candidates, elevated and led on critical bills such as the Health Share Transparency Act, judicial reform bills, and repealing the Comstock Act. He advanced bipartisan bills and secured an enhanced placement of a memorial honoring Thomas Paine in a highly coveted place in the nation’s capital. He helped to develop focus groups on Gen-Z nonreligious voters in the key swing state of Wisconsin, paved the way for FFRF to underwrite campaign fellows at critical universities in Wisconsin to focus on voter registration and pledges to vote, and celebrated our community and victories by establishing the first Congressional Reason Reception on Capitol Hill with the Congressional Freethought Caucus and working to expand it.
Beyond his work with FFRF, Mark has volunteered his time with the Council for Global Equality and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, where he has used his skills to advance human rights and promote greater LGBTQ+ representation in government. Through his work with the Council for Global Equality, Mark built a coalition of LGBTQI+ survivors from authoritarian regimes, helping them share their powerful stories with members of Congress. His advanced Russian language skills and his deep connections with the Russian-speaking LGBTQI+ community allowed him to empower survivors who had never previously told their stories. His work helped stop a trade deal that would have rewarded a regime notorious for its brutal treatment of LGBTQI+ citizens.
FFRF congratulates Mark Dann on this well-earned recognition and looks forward to continuing its mission of upholding the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, with Mark leading the charge in Washington, D.C.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is the country’s largest freethought organization, with 40,000 nonreligious members and several chapters all across the country.