Executive &
Leadership Team
Leaders and innovators shaping USV’s mission across business, arts, and technology.
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About Dr. Mark Naufel
University President, Professor of Polymathic Studies
Dr. Mark Naufel is an innovator, professor, and tech entrepreneur. He is the President & CEO of the University of Silicon Valley and the Founder & Executive Chairman of Axio, an adaptive AI Companion that facilitates lifelong learning tailored to each individual.
During graduate school, Naufel was appointed by the Governor of Arizona to serve on the Arizona Board of Regents, where he helped govern Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University. He went on to found Luminosity, Arizona State University’s “Skunkworks” innovation lab, which engages over 100 interdisciplinary students annually. Under his leadership, student teams won two prestigious global innovation challenges, including the XPRIZE in 2020.
Naufel has served as Principal Investigator on R&D efforts for many of the world’s most successful companies, including Adidas, Zoom Technologies, and Starbucks. Through his consulting practice, he has supported over many startup companies across diverse industries.
He leads with a philosophy rooted in bottom-up innovation, student agency, and interdisciplinary collaboration. His vision is to build institutional models where education is relevant, adaptive, and truly centered on individual human development.
Formal Education
Ph.D in Human Systems Engineering
MS in Business Analytics
MS in Systems Engineering
BS in Finance
Industry Experience
Executive Chairman, Founder - Axio AI
President - Faraya LLC
Served as Principal Investigator on sponsored R&D with companies including:
Adidas
Starbucks
Zoom Technologies
Proctor & Gamble
NASA
BMO Bank
AXON
State Street
Kimberly Clark
PepsiCo