Press Release
Mark Clark Named the New District Attorney for Bethel
January 5, 2023
(Anchorage, AK) – Assistant Attorney General Mark Clark is appointed to be the District Attorney for Bethel. He is replacing Chris Knowles who is stepping down and leaving the state to help address family medical issues.
Clark joined the Department of Law's Office of Special Prosecutions in Anchorage in 2021, where he prosecuted violations of State law referred by agencies such as the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Environmental Crimes Unit, the Alaska State Troopers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Clark also took on non-environmental high-profile cases, such as conflict cases and reviews of officer involved shootings. Prior to joining the Office of Special Prosecutions, he worked as an Assistant Public Defender from 2018 to 2021, in both Anchorage and Kodiak. He handled a variety of cases in the Bethel region during that time including sexual assault cases. In 2016, Clark also served as law clerk with the Alaska Court System in Palmer.
"Mark's unwavering commitment to doing the right thing for the right reasons makes him particularly well-suited for the position. I am confident that Bethel and the Y-K Delta will be well served by his leadership," said Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor.
Alaska Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore said "Clark’s career has been dedicated to public service. When he saw a need in Bethel with Knowles' impending departure, Clark stepped up and offered his service. I could not be more pleased for Mark or the people of the Y-K Delta."
Outgoing DA Chris Knowles served in Bethel for almost 5 years and is resigning to help address family medical issues. "Chris Knowles has been a superb District Attorney and will be missed by his colleagues here at Department of Law. We wish him and his family all the best and hope they will return to Alaska someday" stated Skidmore.
Clark earned his Law degree in 2016 from Northern Kentucky University. He earned a Bachelor’s in Public Administration in 2012 from Biola University in La Mirada, Calif.
"I am deeply humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve the people of Bethel and continue to promote justice and public safety for all Alaskans," said newly appointed Bethel DA Mark Clark.
Bethel is off the road system in Southwest Alaska, 400 miles west of Anchorage and 40 miles inland from the Bering Sea. With a population of more than 6,000 residents, most residents are Yup’ik. Bethel is the regional transportation hub for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the main port on the Kuskokwim River. A 28-mile ice road along the Kuskokwim River connects the community with neighboring villages in the winter. The Bethel Airport is the third busiest in the state, with daily service to and from Anchorage and 56 surrounding villages.
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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.