Mark Benthien is Director for Communication, Education and Outreach for the Southern California Earthquake Center, a research center funded by the National Science Foundation and U.S. Geological survey with over 60 participating institutions and headquarters at the University of Southern California (USC). Mark communicates earthquake knowledge to end-users and the general public in order to increase earthquake awareness, reduce economic losses, and save lives. Many of these efforts are in coordination with members of the Earthquake Country Alliance, a private-public partnership of organizations that provide earthquake information and services, for which Mark serves as Executive Director and lead organizer of the Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill which in 2011 involved more than 8.6 million participants. Mark is also working with the other many regions around the world that are replicating the ShakeOut.