Mark Gitenstein ’64 Named 2024 Outstanding Alum of the Year

Gitenstein ’64 is a lawyer who recently retired from Mayer Brown LLP, where he had served over the last 30 years as partner and counsel. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Romania (2009-2012) and began his career with 17 years of service in the U.S. Senate on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. He worked for then-Senator Biden for 13 of those 17 years.

Gitenstein ’64 has spent much of the last decade working in Central and Eastern Europe, especially Romania. Since 2009, he has, either as ambassador or as counsel to NGOs and commercial clients, focused on preserving and fortifying democracy by ensuring transparency in equity markets, fighting corruption, and strengthening the rule of law.

In addition to his service with President Biden for 13 years in the Senate, he co-chaired the then-Senator’s transition to the vice presidency in 2008 and helped set up his transition to the presidency in 2020.

Gitenstein ’64 earned a B.A. from Duke University and a J.D. from Georgetown Law School. He was awarded the Star of Romania, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by the president of Romania in 2012. In 1993, he was also awarded the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel award for his book Matters of Principle about his role as chief counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee during its consideration of Robert Bork to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Due to his many duties, Gitenstein ’64 was unable to attend Alumni Weekend 2024 and accept his award in person. Click here to watch the video he recorded to be shown to our alums and current students.