Mark Hanson is an experienced analyst, programmer, policy researcher, project manager, educator, and community volunteer. His work spans health care quality, education, disaster management, energy and environment, social justice, and economic development. He is author or co-author of over 60 peer-reviewed articles and policy research reports.
Currently at the USC Brain Health Observatory within the Center for Economic and Social Research, Dr. Hanson leads computational modeling efforts examining health trajectories of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and access to memory care services across the United States. He co-authored the top-cited 2021 article in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnostic Assessment and Disease Monitoring, contributing to the evidence base shaping Alzheimer’s research and policy.
Previously, Dr. Hanson was Senior Quantitative Analyst at the RAND Corporation, where his work covered multiple policy domains. His projects included cost modeling to estimate infrastructure repair needs following natural disasters, development of survey methods to evaluate market demand for energy-efficient features in new housing, and application of advanced statistical techniques to help health plans analyze data and improve quality of care. As a project manager, he led teams that earned an Exceptional Contractor rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In 2025, he was recognized as Key Contributor to a RAND Gold Award-winning project supporting U.S. hospital recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Hanson was adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and he has taught science, statistics, and spatial analysis at secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. He has extensive community volunteer experience, including youth sports and serving as board president of a USA Swimming Silver Medal Award swim program.
Dr. Hanson earned a PhD in Policy, Planning, and Development from the University of Southern California; MPA and MS in Environmental Science and Policy from Indiana University Bloomington; and a BS in Psychobiology and Business Administration from UCLA.