Mark Nessel is a thought leader, educator, author, and speaker on Empowerment self-defense (ESD) with over 25 years of experience in the field. He holds black belts in jujitsu and Tae Kwon Do. He has BAs in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin Madison. and is a graduate of the MOR Associates Higher Education IT Leaders Program.

Mark taught classes in martial arts and self-defense for the Kinesiology Elective Program at the University Wisconsin Madison from 1990 - 1997 and was an active suited instructor for IMPACT from 1992-2015. During this time he taught classes in Chicago, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Boston, Columbia MO, Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Washington DC, and Jerusalem. Mark has trained and certified suited instructors for chapters in Chicago, Columbia, San Francisco, and Jerusalem. His writing on issues of sexual violence and self-defense have been published in the IMPACT Chicago blog and he has presented at the IMPACT International and Wisconsin Education Association Conferences.

While he retired from his role as a suited instructor in 2015, he remains involved in instructor training and certification, and curriculum development for his home chapter in Chicago. His commitment to ESD is rooted in his belief that it is work he is meant to do. This work also reflects his adherence to the Jewish spiritual practice of Tikun Olam, which translated to English means “repairing the world.”

On a personal note, Mark is an IT executive at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and has a son and a daughter. He is actively involved in youth development and empowerment by providing leadership and youth coaching to his kid’s hockey and mountain bike teams. Mark volunteers as an adult hockey coach with the Madison Gay Hockey Association, designing and leading clinics for new adult hockey players, and is the Security Officer for the Badger City chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse. Mark’s volunteer work demonstrates his commitment to helping create a world that is free of the threat of predatory violence.