Mark Follman

Mark Follman is a nationally recognized investigative journalist and author of the acclaimed bestseller, Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America. For the past decade he has studied leading-edge solutions to violence prevention and engaged with top practitioners and researchers, community leaders, policymakers, and survivors. This work has led him to unique places: from going inside the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit, to observing the confidential case work of innovative school safety programs and immersing behind the scenes with security experts at Disneyland.

Mark is a dynamic storyteller and shares his reporting and insights in a variety of settings. He has given keynote talks at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Homeland Security Project, Duke University, and Gavin de Becker’s Advanced Threat Assessment Academy, and is a sought-after speaker nationally for trainings and conferences focused on violence prevention, mental health, and safety in education.

Since 2012, when Mark created a pioneering online database of mass shootings, his various investigations into gun violence and its impact on society have been honored with numerous journalism awards. His writing and commentary have been featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” PBS NewsHour, BBC World News, and in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Mother Jones, where he is the national affairs editor. Mark holds a BA from Duke University and a MFA in writing from University of San Francisco. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two children.