Title: Acting Inspector General
Company: U.S. Department of Education
Location: Washington, D.C., United States
Mark E. Priebe, Acting Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Education, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements and leadership in Education Programs for K-12 and Higher Education.
Mr. Priebe has established a distinguished career in public service and government oversight, culminating in his current role as acting inspector general for the U.S. Department of Education. In this capacity, which he assumed in December 2025, he leads a nationwide team dedicated to promoting efficiency, effectiveness and integrity within the department’s programs and operations. As such, Mr. Priebe is responsible for preventing and detecting fraud, waste and abuse across K-12 and higher education initiatives, reflecting his recognized expertise in education program oversight.
Before this appointment, Mr. Priebe served from 2017 to 2025 as the director of the Office of Inspector General’s non-federal audit team and national single audit coordinator at the U.S. Department of Education. In this leadership position, he managed quality-control reviews of audits conducted by independent public accountants and state auditors. Mr. Priebe played a pivotal role in developing oversight guidance for major emergency education relief programs, including those established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan. His efforts ensured that pandemic-related funds were subject to rigorous audit standards.
Between 2010 and 2017, Mr. Priebe was a senior auditor with the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. There, he helped identify operational inefficiencies, strengthen internal controls and reduce redundancies within the department’s Quality Assurance Subsystem.
Mr. Priebe began his federal career in 2009 as an auditor with the Office of Enforcement at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In this role, he led audits that supported regulatory compliance and financial integrity across the energy sector. Mr. Priebe’s public service journey began at the Michigan Department of Treasury in 2004, where he initially served as a revenue officer in field enforcement before transitioning to an auditor role through 2009. These early roles provided him with foundational experience in tax collection, financial analysis and government auditing.
Mr. Priebe’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping his career trajectory. He earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan, in 2002, followed by a Master of Business Administration in accounting and international finance on campus in 2009. He further advanced his expertise with a Master of Science in business analytics with an accounting concentration from Strayer University in Washington, D.C., in 2012. These academic achievements have provided Mr. Priebe with comprehensive knowledge in accounting principles, financial management and data analytics, skills that have underpinned his success across multiple federal agencies.
In addition to his academic credentials, Mr. Priebe is a certified fraud examiner from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Inc., obtained in 2016. This designation underscores his proficiency in detecting and preventing fraud within complex organizational structures.
Throughout his career, Mr. Priebe has demonstrated a commitment to professional development and industry engagement. He remains actively involved with the Association of Government Internal Auditors Inc., reflecting his dedication to ethical standards and best practices in government auditing. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Mr. Priebe is committed to civic engagement through volunteer work at his local church, exemplifying his dedication to community service.
Mr. Priebe’s contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Inspector General Award for Excellence in 2020 and the Transformation Innovation Award in 2025. He attributes much of his professional success to strong mentors who offered guidance, positioned him for advancement and provided opportunities to demonstrate his abilities throughout his career.
Mr. Priebe considers his appointment as acting inspector general to be his most significant professional achievement. Eager for the future, he aspires to secure a permanent appointment to this role, furthering his commitment to advancing accountability and transparency within federal education programs. His goal is to position the U.S. Department of Education’s Inspector General’s Office at the forefront of combating fraud, waste and abuse by embracing advancements such as artificial intelligence and adopting innovative approaches that maximize efficiency with available resources. Moreover, Mr. Priebe seeks to prepare the organization for its next phase while continuing to advance professionally, ideally securing a full-time appointment as inspector general or pursuing similar leadership roles within education or other federal agencies, where he can continue applying his expertise for public benefit.
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