Presidents Ronald Reagan[13] and George H. W. Bush appointed Mandle to the National Council on the Arts, one of many policy and advisory groups where he served.

[3] During his tenure at RISD, Mandle oversaw the development of ambitious projects (such as the creation of a museum building by Rafael Moneo), and was recognized for increasing selectivity in the School's acceptance rates.

[17][18] After leaving his post at RISD in July 2008, Mandle assumed the directorial position at the Qatar Museums Authority where he remained until 2012.

[2] His work has helped develop the world's first non-profit, tuition-free, online academic institution that seeks to revolutionize higher education by making college-level studies accessible to students worldwide.

[21] He was made Knight of the Order of Isabel la Católica by King Juan Carlos of Spain in 1985,[22] and was Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.