Mark Matlock is the PlanetWisdom culture, content and idea guy at Youth Specialties. A native Californian displaced in Dallas, TX, Mark has been involved in youth ministry for a long time but that does't mean he knows much of anything. Mark heads up the PlanetWisdom Student Conferences, Real World Parents seminars, and gives input and direction to other stuff we come up with. He has written several books for students and volunteers in his church youth ministry.

Mark and his wife Jade have been married for 16 years and have two kids Dax who is in middle school and Skye in fourth grade. The Matloc's enjoy travelling together and making things. Their favorite holiday (next to Christmas and Easter) is Halloween. Mark is a certified Life Planner by the Patterson Foundation and also serves as a board member to Wycliff's The Seed Company and The Imagine A Cure Foundation (supporting ethical research and helping families with type 1 diabetes). In his spare time he performs magic.