About Mark A. Sullivan, Life & Health Coach
For more than 30 years, I poured myself into healthcare leadership. I worked my way up to President and CEO of a regional health system, leading thousands of employees and managing over a billion dollars in revenue. I loved the mission, the people, and the challenge.
But somewhere along the climb, my own life fell out of balance. My health began to slip. At 55, I asked myself the questions I’d been avoiding: How healthy am I? Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically? Am I truly living my best life?
That gut check changed everything. With prayer, discernment, and the support of my wife, our two daughters, and a few close friends, I made a bold choice. I didn’t walk away from a career I loved, but walked toward a vision for the next chapter of my life. I went back to school, became a certified life and health coach, and started working on my own transformation.
My first client? Me.
The results were life-changing. I lost 35 pounds. I discovered a new passion in pickleball, the first sport I’d picked up since high school, and became a certified coach. I reconnected with what matters most: my faith, my family, my health, giving back, and the simple joy of daily life. With my wife’s help, her lifelong passion for nutrition, and her constant support, I also built a "nutritious” and fit-focused foundation that allows me to show up as my best self every day.
Today, that same foundation fuels my work with clients. LifeNBalance Coaching is where decades of leadership experience meet personal transformation. It’s not theory, it’s lived. And it’s proof that even the smallest steps, taken with intention, can change everything.
Now, I help people who may look successful on the outside but feel out of balance on the inside take intentional steps toward their true selves so they can lead, live, and love with energy, faith, and joy.
And why I became my own first client
The Journey That Brought Me Here
You’ve checked the boxes. Career, family, achievements, and from the outside, it looks like you’ve done everything right. But inside, something’s off balance. You’re tired. You’ve been putting yourself last for so long, you can’t remember the last time you really asked, “Who do I really want to be?”
Maybe you’re stuck on cruise control, afraid to step off the playing field and look at your own game of life from the bleachers. Maybe you lean on food, podcasts, or quick fixes for comfort, only to get distracted again.
On the surface, you’re thriving. But behind closed doors? You feel drained, unsettled, maybe even a little lost. And talking about it with family, friends, or coworkers? Too vulnerable, they need you as the rock. Easier to keep it bottled up.
Here’s the truth: you’re not behind. You’re right on time. Take that first step. Even a small one is a win! Let’s go, we’re good.
Helping you rediscover balance and your true self
Clients often tell me, “Mark, you helped me see I can do this.” That’s the greatest reward for me, watching someone light up when they realize the courage was already in them.
Your number one competitor isn’t out there. It’s between your ears. Once we tackle that, everything else gets easier.
So if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start moving with intention, let’s go!
We’re building something solid you can lean on long after coaching ends.
Real change, not quick fixes:
Call Him God, a higher power, or true north, what guides you is honored here.
Faith-welcoming:
No canned program. We design it together so it sticks long after coaching ends.
Built for you:
Even one small step is a win. You’ll hear me say it a lot: progress is progress.
Forward-focused:
I’ll cheer you on, but I’ll also ask the hard questions when you need them.
Encouraging but honest:
Hope’s not a strategy. Action is. And when that action is taken with intention and faith over fear? That’s when things shift. My job is to help you find those steps — sometimes small, sometimes bold — and make them yours.
Here’s what working with me feels like:
Coaching with faith, grit, and a little humor
The LifeNBalance Difference
➤ Former Member – American Hospital Association Advisory Council to the FBI
➤ Former Member – Racial Equity Business Leaders Task Force
➤ Deputy – Retired Sheriff Reserve
➤ Volunteer Patient Ambassador – Mayo Clinic
Service & Leadership
➤ Retired Fellow – American College of Healthcare Executives
➤ Retired Certified Home & Hospice Care Executive – National Association of Home & Hospice Care
➤ Fellow – American Hospital Association Health Transformation
Professional Recognition
➤ Certified Health Coach – Health Coach Institute
➤ Certified Life Coach – Health Coach Institute
➤ Certified Level II Pickleball Coach – Professional Pickleball Registry
Coaching & Training
➤ Master of Public Administration, Health Care Management – Canisius University
➤ Bachelor of Political Science – Canisius University
➤ Criminal Justice Certificate – Canisius University
Education
Over the years, I’ve been blessed with opportunities to lead, learn, and serve. Along the way, I’ve gained training and credentials that support the work I do today. Here are a few:
My Background & Credentials
Anthony, New York
"Mark's training as a coach combined with his resume of decades of executive suite and CEO level professional experience makes an instant impact. In a practical, no nonsense manner, Mark helps one to discover priorities and live a successful, integrated balance of family, health and professional success."
Life has taken me from boardrooms to pickleball courts, from global conferences to quiet walks on the beach. And I see it all as part of the same gift, the chance to keep learning no matter the outcome, keep giving, and keep striving to continue living in balance.
From serving as a healthcare CEO to interning at a U.S.–Soviet conference where I once looked after John Denver’s son while he met with other US representatives (true story). Life has given me some wild experiences.
A lifetime of stories:
As a Man Thinketh, What Matters Most, and Man’s Search for Meaning. Each hit me at just the right time in my life.. Viktor Frankl’s story? No way, unbelievable courage! It shook me with gratitude for the blessings in my own life and showed me that anything is possible.
Books that changed me:
From my dad and best friend: Be faith-centered, be humble, and kind. It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond that matters.
Best advice I ever got?
The excitement, the grit, the brotherhood and sisterhood. Go Bills!
Buffalo Bills forever:
Up at 5 a.m., mushroom coffee or green tea in hand, prayers, gratitude, journaling, learning something new, and watching the sunrise. That’s how I start on my terms, not the world’s.
Early riser:
Walking our dogs, catching a sunset, laughing about the day, and celebrating family and blessings. That’s my reset button.
Evenings well spent:
I don’t just play, I coach it. Becoming a Certified Level II Pickleball Coach has been one of the most fun and energizing chapters of my life.
Pickleball fanatic:
When I’m not working with clients, here’s a glimpse into the parts of life that keep me grounded, grateful, and smiling:
Beyond the Coaching
