Dr. Mark A. Colomb Obituary
By IFBP
Dr. Colomb was born on November 18, 1965 to Mitchell Gerald Colomb, Sr. and Gloria Mae Colomb in Lafayette, La. He received his early and high school education in Lafayette Catholic schools. Dr. Colomb earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, La.; a master's degree in sociology, a specialist degree in education, and a doctoral degree in educational administration from Jackson State University. He completed post doctoral training at Tulane University's South Central Public Health Leadership Institute, New Orleans, La. and was certified by the Research Administrators Certification Council as a research administrator.
Dr. Colomb's distinguished career in the public health arena began as a graduate assistant with the Jackson State University National Alumni AIDS Prevention Project in 1988. Upon completion of his master's degree in 1992, he began working at the Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of STD/HIV, where he became a division branch director and served until 1999. Dr. Colomb joined the staff of Jackson State University as director of the Mississippi Urban Research Center where he served as project director/principal investigator for 13 federally- and state funded projects from 1999 to 2003.
He is credited with garnering more than $9 million, the largest of 12 five year national grants awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000. This funding established Jackson State University as a premier HIV/AIDS prevention training agency while serving as the lead entity for four regional organizations providing HIV/AIDS prevention training to African American community based organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories. Under his leadership, MURC became one of the founding members of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
Prior to and during his tenure at Jackson State, Dr. Colomb played an integral role in shaping state and national HIV/AIDS policy legislation, particularly on behalf of African Americans, by working with a variety of constituents from grassroots advocacy groups to national legislative bodies.
Upon retirement from Jackson State University in 2003, Dr. Colomb worked to reduce health disparities and promote well being in minority populations. As president and chief executive officer of My Brother's Keeper, Inc., a nonprofit organization headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss. with offices in Jackson, Miss. and Atlanta, Ga., Dr. Colomb spearheaded funding from national organizations to conduct HIV/AIDS, heart disease, obesity, breast, cervical and prostate cancer, and childhood lead poisoning prevention education and services projects locally and nationally.
His academic appointments included assistant professor of sociology, adjunct professor and statistical laboratory coordinator at Jackson State University and instructor at Tougaloo College.
Dr. Colomb was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Madison, Miss.; a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and numerous social, professional and academic honor organizations, including, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education.
Dr. Colomb was preceded in death by his parents, Mitchell Gerald Colomb, Sr. and Gloria Mae Colomb; grandfather, Weston Felix; grandmother, Louella Addison; two brothers, Reginald Joseph Colomb and Mitchell Gerald Colomb, Jr.; two uncles, Harold Colomb and Garvin Colomb; and an infant nephew, Melvin Douglas Colomb, Jr.
He is survived by four brothers, Harold Lee Colomb (Donyelle), Melvin Douglas Colomb, Sr., Telly James Colomb (Shamika) and Marcus Jack; two uncles, Patrick Colomb and Paul Harvey Colomb (Mercedes), all of Lafayette, Louisiana; a special friend, Charles ''Tony'' Jenkins of Crystal Springs, Miss.; a mentor and devoted caretaker, Janice Duncan, Ph.D. of Jackson, Miss.; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mississippi Kidney Foundation , 3000 Old Canton Road, Suite 110, Jackson, MS 39216.
Entombment will be in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church mausoleum, Lafayette, LA. Westhaven Memorial Funeral Home, Jackson, Mississippi, is handling arrangements.