Mark Van Wormer has spent over 40 years as a fine arts photographer and educator, serving as Art Department Chair and Faculty Trustee at a girls’ independent high school. He advised the school's Fair Trade club, a social enterprise that raised thousands of dollars for scholarships for girls in Africa, Central America and Afghanistan. After helping the school become the first "Fair Trade School" in the US, he served for four years on the National Fair Trade Campaigns Steering Committee. He led trips to Guatemala, Nicaragua and Colombia with student groups to learn first-hand about Fair Trade and ethical business practices. He has donated his photography services to various non-profits, including Mayan Hands, Oxlajuj B'atz' and Andean Textile Arts. Mark received an MFA in photography from Bard College (1999).