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Today's Featured Biography

 
Mark Roby

After graduating from Cooley, I went to Wayne State University's Monteith College, now "decommissioned." It wasn't a straight trajectory to college graduation, given the distractions of the civil rights and anti-war movements, going to the west coast to "get my head together" (sort of) and all the rest, but I did finally get my BA on the 7-year plan, then eventually an MSW in 1978 and an MPA in 1982, both from the University of Michigan.

I have had 3 careers (so far). First in Community Mental Health as a therapist, then as an administrator (therapist was better)for many years. During my days in the mental health system, I became interested in issues related to the homeless mentally ill and affordable housing. Career number two (with the same employer) was in Community
Development, planning and obtaining resources for use by different organizations to provide housing assistance and support services to low income populations, including the homeless. Now in career number three, for the past two years I have been an Urban Planner working with cities, villages and townships on land use planning and a host of related issues, and I am still involved in affordable housing, but more as a researcher than as a housing program person.

Ten years after gradution from Cooley, I met my wife P.V. (her initials). We have been married 28 years (yikes!) and we have three children; Tyler 23, Annie 20 and Teddy 16. They are all pretty neat people. One defining circumstance our family has lived with is that Annie was born developmentally disabled, with severe mental retardation and some minor physical problems. While I would not wish this on anyone, I must say it has made us all better people and has enriched our lives in many many ways. While Annie will never be independent, she is a happy and delighful young woman. Her brothers, one older, one younger, believe having her as a sister has made them better people. I know they are certainly more sensitive to the needs of others and more tolerant of differences among people.

P.V. and I are part of a volunteer group of parents of people with disabilities, like mental retardation and autism, who are setting about developing high-quality supportive houisng for our adult children. We want to put things in place to answer the question, "Who will care for my child when I am gone?" Perhaps that will end up being my fourth (and last?) career.

I can't say I have covered the last 40 years, but these are some of the highlights. I am really looking forward to seeing my friends from back in the day. I think at that time we really did get a pretty good education, and for certain, there were many fine, fine people in our class who I remember fondly.

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