Colonel (Retired) Mark Ray spent over two decades in the Army before retiring and assuming his current position as Director of the Human Performance and Wellness program for the United States Army Special Operations Command. He and his staff are responsible for designing, implementing, and integrating the holistic human performance and wellness efforts for 35,000 Army Special Operations Force Soldiers and their 56,000 Family members.

COL (Retired) Ray was commissioned as a U.S. Army Infantry officer in 1996 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy. He spent over twenty years in command positions in the special operations community. He has participated in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn, and has served in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Additionally, he spent four years in the Athletic Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, and a Master of Science in Sports Science from Lock Haven University. He and his wife of 25 years, Tracy, have three adult children.