Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Talia Mark, ’06, serves as marketing manager for USA Swimming in the business development vision. She oversees USA Swimming’s diversity marketing programs and will oversee the “Make a Splash with Cullen Jones Tour” presented by ConocoPhillips.

Before USA Swimming, Talia worked as an account executive for PCGCampbell-Ford Racing and manager for diversity affairs for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

Talia, who majored in public relations at CMU, also developed NASCAR’s college outreach program “NASCAR Kinetics: Marketing in Motion.” The program currently is running at 20 universities and impacts thousands of college students every year.

It was Talia’s responsibility to put together a multicultural plan for NASCAR’s newest reality TV series “Changing Lanes” on Black Entertainment Television. The eight-series show chronicled NASCAR’s drive to expose the country to opportunities for minorities.

She has been featured in more than 30 newspapers, magazines, and online articles, including the Washington Times and the Detroit Free Press. Most recently the American Biographical Institute Board of International Research named her “Woman of the Year.” Talia also was awarded one of the “Top African American Minds in Marketing and Advertising” in Rolling Out Magazine.