Mandie Quark, the self-proclaimed Mushroom Madman, walked barefoot to receive her Bachelor’s in Chemistry from a tiny eclectic Honors College situated on a historic Maryland river in 2007. She spent the first part of her career studying molecular biology in academia, meanwhile culturing a healthy fascination with mycology on the side. For more than a decade Mandie worked as a biomedical research scientist in Philadelphia at a Top-100 Hospital. There, while earning her Masters degree in Biochemistry from the University of the Sciences, Mandie preformed high throughput screening in a chemical genomics lab. Mandie made the decision to hang up her academic lab coat in 2018 to pursue an alternative career path. Mandie enjoys taking macro photos of mushrooms and explaining the mysteries and complexities of molecular mycology to the public. She has been a featured guest on many podcasts. Her series of advanced classes for mycologists were well received by the community. In 2023 Mandie started several new collaborations and is extremely excited about what her future in fungi will hold.
Why should you take a madman seriously?
Selected achievements to date:
Trained as a Research Scientist and Grant Writer
Masters degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacognosy (2014) University of the Sciences in West Philadelphia. Bachelors in Chemistry from St. Mary’s Honors College in southern Maryland.
Trained as a biomedical scientist, as head of drug discovery in a research lab at a Top-100 Hospital in the Nation (2007 - 2018)
Wrote grants for a non-profit organization focused on creating free educational programs for youth in underserved communities (2018-2020)
North American Mycological Association Foray Committee Chair
Mandie was promoted to a leadership position in the umbrella organization for all of the mushroom clubs in North America. Lead organizer of NAMA’s National Foray, starting during 2023 at the foray in Hendersonville, NC.
Fungal Diversity Survey Communication Lead
She handles the website, newsletter, and social media accounts for a biodiversity conservation non-profit. FunDiS envisions a world in which the fungal kingdom is fully documented, understood, appreciated, and protected.
Keynote Speaker and Teacher
Speaker and teacher at mycology festivals and mushroom-related events across the country. Including Mushroom Clubs, Mycofest, New Moon Mycology Summit, NAMA National Foray, and SOMA Camp.
“I believe that enjoying your work with all your heart is the only truly subversive position left to take as a creative person these days. It’s such a gangster move, because hardly anybody ever dares to speak of creative enjoyment aloud, for fear of not being taken seriously as an artist. So say it. Be the weirdo who dares to enjoy.”
— Liz Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear