Person Before Party

What has politics become?

Too often today, people support a candidate simply because of the letter next to their name. Real conversations disappear. Policy discussions disappear. Character, qualifications, leadership, and integrity become secondary to party loyalty.

I have never believed that is the right way to choose leaders.

Long before running for public office, I spent years in the pharmaceutical reverse distribution industry managing complex operations where trust, accountability, and good judgment were absolutely critical. In that environment, one serious mistake could jeopardize DEA compliance, put hundreds of jobs at risk, and threaten the livelihoods of families who depended on the company’s success.

Because of that responsibility, I personally interviewed every employee who joined our operation. I learned quickly that resumes only tell part of the story. What mattered most was the person sitting in front of you — their integrity, their attitude, their ability to work with others, and whether they could be trusted as part of a team.

That experience shaped how I view leadership and public service today.

I believe communities are strongest when we stop viewing each other as political enemies and start focusing on shared goals. In education, especially, there are many stakeholders — students, parents, teachers, administrators, taxpayers, and community organizations. No one agrees on every issue, and that is okay. Progress comes from respectful dialogue, collaboration, and finding common ground where we can move forward together.

In the corporate world, constant division and infighting would destroy an organization. Success required teamwork, communication, and the ability to work through disagreements professionally in pursuit of the best outcome. I believe public service should operate the same way.

That is why I choose person over party.

I am not running to represent a political machine or ideological camp. I am running because I care about students, families, and the future of our community. I believe leadership starts with listening, treating people with respect, and making decisions based on what is best for children and families — not what is best for partisan politics.

When we focus on the things that unite us instead of the things that divide us, we become stronger as a community. We become neighbors again. We become partners in solving problems together.

That is the kind of leadership I hope to bring to Alameda County.

Mark Harvey

My time in the pharmaceutical industry

In March of 2003, I was hired as the Operations Manager for EXP Pharmaceutical Services Corp., a pharmaceutical reverse distribution company operating in one of the healthcare industry’s most complex and highly regulated niche business spaces.

Reverse distribution is the process of managing expired, recalled, damaged, and unused medications from pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare facilities. Every product must be meticulously documented using National Drug Codes, lot numbers, expiration dates, and exact counts. These medications are tracked through an intricate chain of custody involving notifications and compliance with agencies including the FDA, EPA, DEA, Boards of Pharmacy, and numerous state and federal regulators. Some medications are returned to manufacturers for credit, while others must be securely destroyed through approved incineration processes.

It is a world defined by precision, accountability, and oversight.

At its core, the role of a reverse distributor is to navigate the complexities of pharmaceutical return policies and advocate for pharmacies and healthcare providers to ensure they receive the financial credits they are rightfully owed. Early in my career, the pharmaceutical industry was explained to me this way:

    “The pharmaceutical industry operates almost like a long-term consignment system. Manufacturers encourage pharmacies to stock large quantities of medication so patients always have access when they need care. If products go unused, expired, or unsold, pharmacies may return them for credit under manufacturer return policies.”

That system benefits patients because it helps ensure medications remain readily available in communities. However, behind the scenes, pharmacies often face complicated procedures and administrative barriers just to recover the value of returned medications. In many ways, it reminded me of the old mail-in rebate process—except on a much larger and more regulated scale.

Over the years, I was fortunate to grow within the company, eventually being promoted to Director and later Vice President of Corporate Operations. As my responsibilities expanded, so did my interest in the broader issues surrounding pharmaceuticals—environmental responsibility, public safety, ethics, regulatory policy, and community impact.

One issue became especially important to me: the growing problem of unused medications sitting in the homes of patients and families.

Families frequently contacted our company asking for help disposing of medications safely, particularly after the loss of a loved one or after treatments had ended. Many of these drugs were controlled substances regulated by the DEA, which meant we were legally prohibited from accepting them under the rules at that time. I spoke personally with many of these families, and it became clear to me that the lack of safe, accessible disposal options created serious risks.

Unused medications can lead to accidental poisonings, prescription drug abuse, narcotics falling into the wrong hands, and environmental contamination when drugs are improperly flushed into waterways and drinking systems.

With the support and encouragement of my leadership at EXP, I was allowed to research solutions and build relationships across both industry and government. I worked alongside organizations and agencies including the USPS, DEA, EPA, Boards of Pharmacy, environmental groups, and other regulatory stakeholders to help advance drug take-back initiatives and safe disposal programs.

Over time, meaningful progress was made. New pathways emerged that allowed medications to be collected through community take-back events, secure disposal kiosks, and approved mail-back programs. While I still believe there is much more work to be done to create a truly seamless nationwide system, I remain proud of the role I was able to play in helping move those conversations and solutions forward.

Looking back, one of the greatest gifts my company gave me was the freedom to pursue work that had purpose beyond business itself. They recognized that protecting communities, safeguarding the environment, and helping families mattered just as much as operational success.

What began as a career in pharmaceutical operations ultimately became a mission rooted in public service, problem-solving, and the belief that even highly technical industries can create meaningful change in people’s everyday lives.

I hope to continue that mission for many years to come.

Mark Harvey

Civility Matters in Local Elections

Recently, I was included on a group email in which another candidate sent a message regarding me titled “Gag me with a spoon” followed by the statement:

“This guy knows nothing and has done nothing about the county board of education.
If you are running for office at least find out what you are expected to do when elected.”

I understand that campaigns can become emotional and competitive. Healthy disagreement is part of democracy, and voters deserve open discussion about qualifications, priorities, and ideas. However, I believe there is an important difference between constructive debate and personal ridicule.

I am running for the Alameda County Board of Education because I care deeply about students, families, and the future of public education in our community. Like many grassroots candidates, I am not a career politician. I am a parent, volunteer, community member, and someone who believes local leadership should remain connected to the people it serves.

Since entering this race, I have spent countless hours researching the role of the Alameda County Board of Education, speaking with community members, meeting with local organizations, studying county education governance, and learning about the responsibilities associated with the office. Public service should always involve humility and a willingness to continue learning.

I welcome honest questions about my qualifications, policy positions, and understanding of the role. Those are fair topics for any campaign. What I do not believe helps our community is mockery, bullying, or attempts to publicly demean others simply because they stepped forward to serve.

Too often, negative political culture discourages ordinary people from participating in public life. Many good people never run for office because they fear personal attacks more than they fear losing an election. That is unhealthy for democracy, especially in local races where community voices matter most. 

I believe voters deserve campaigns focused on:

• ideas instead of insults,

• accountability instead of arrogance,

• and respectful dialogue instead of personal attacks.

As of today, I still do not have access to my social media accounts, including years of personal memories, community connections, and communication tools that disappeared without meaningful explanation or recourse. This has already been an extremely difficult and stressful experience for both my family and me during an active election campaign. Adding personal insults and public ridicule on top of that serves no constructive purpose and only contributes to the kind of political toxicity that discourages everyday community members from stepping forward to serve. We can disagree on ideas and qualifications without losing our basic sense of decency and respect for one another.

My focus remains where it has always been: supporting students, strengthening educational opportunity, encouraging parent involvement, and serving Alameda County with integrity and respect.

I will continue engaging with the public thoughtfully and respectfully, even when others choose a different approach.

— Mark Harvey
Candidate for Alameda County Board of Education, Trustee Area 4

Disabled Meta accounts during my campaign

On Saturday, May 2, 2026, what began as a normal and joyful day for my family quickly became one of the most disruptive experiences of my life.

This time of year, our family is deeply involved in swimming. Just the day before, my youngest daughter competed in her high school championships, achieving two personal best times and earning a gold medal—an incredibly proud and exciting moment for our family. I had also spent much of the previous week meeting with local businesses, building grassroots support for my campaign for the Alameda County Board of Education. Running a true community-based campaign requires enormous personal effort, especially without financial backing or a team.

That Saturday morning began early as we prepared for our summer league swim team’s annual time trials. Our family has proudly been part of this volunteer-driven organization for 15 years, and as the team announcer, I cherish the sense of teamwork, community, and excitement that surrounds each new season. Standing poolside, surrounded by families working together for their children, I felt grateful and optimistic.

After returning home, I planned to check in on my campaign’s social media outreach, as I had been carefully monitoring the progress of my digital engagement. Instead, I discovered I could no longer access my Facebook account. A message prompted me to upload my photo identification again—a troubling development given that I had already completed Meta’s extensive identity verification requirements due to the political nature of my campaign page.

As a candidate, Meta required me to submit identification, sign election integrity documentation, and comply with numerous advertising disclaimers before allowing me to run campaign ads. While the process had often been frustrating and opaque, I had successfully navigated those hurdles, and Meta had approved my advertisements, accepted payment, and provided performance metrics showing positive engagement.

Yet on May 2, everything changed.

At 12:59 PM PT, I received an email from Facebook stating that my account had been suspended for an alleged violation and that I had 30 days to appeal. Shockingly, just two minutes later, at 1:01 PM PT, I received another notice stating that my account had already been permanently disabled following an unsuccessful review—despite never having had the opportunity to meaningfully appeal.

Without warning, nearly 20 years of personal history disappeared.

My Facebook profile, campaign page, community pages, Instagram account, Messenger, and WhatsApp were all disabled simultaneously. Years of memories, family milestones, school communications, sports organizations, and professional networks were erased. Photos, posts, conversations, and connections built over decades were simply gone, with no meaningful explanation and no functional path to recourse.

As I spent the rest of the day researching what had happened, I came to understand how limited Meta’s support systems truly are. Users facing permanent disabling are often left trapped in automated systems, unable to communicate with a real person, submit meaningful evidence, or receive transparent explanations.

For me, this was not simply an inconvenience—it was deeply personal and potentially politically consequential.

At a critical time during an active local election campaign, the sudden removal of my digital presence significantly disrupted my ability to communicate with voters, share campaign messaging, and engage with the community. For a grassroots candidate without institutional backing, this kind of platform enforcement can have severe real-world consequences.

I have always approached social media responsibly. My guiding principle has been to keep my online presence “light, bright, and polite.” I believe in kindness, civility, and constructive dialogue. I have operated numerous pages over many years without issue. I am not a career politician. I am a father, a community advocate, and a candidate motivated by a sincere desire to improve educational outcomes for children and families across Alameda County.

This experience has profoundly underscored how centralized digital platforms now hold extraordinary power over personal identity, communication, and even democratic participation.

Today, on Sunday, May 3, 2026, I remain hopeful. I have reached out to trusted contacts in the technology sector and hope they may help restore access to at least some portion of what was lost. At this point, I would willingly sacrifice my campaign page if it meant recovering my personal accounts, family memories, and essential communication channels.

This ordeal has also caused me to reflect more deeply on the broader role of social media in our lives. While its reach is powerful, it also reveals the risks of overdependence on centralized systems. Genuine human connection—meeting neighbors, speaking directly with constituents, and building trust face-to-face—remains irreplaceable.

If you have found this message and support my campaign, I sincerely appreciate your encouragement. Your support means more than ever during this challenging time.

Thank you,

Mark Harvey

Candidate for Alameda County Board of Education

Trustee Area 4