Mark Sullivan, an organizational psychologist, is the CEO of the Performance Learning Academy, a senior executive coaching firm for commercial and government agencies that additionally offers custom curated leadership workshops and signature speaking engagements at company events. He is also an award-winning Executive Educator in top private and public universities. Additionally, he is a noted international speaker on resilience, negotiating skills and personal leadership in high-demand, high-challenge environments.
Over the last 25 plus years, Mark has served in senior leadership and strategic operating roles in three Global 1000/ Dow 30 companies. For Honeywell International, he founded and managed a Corporate Business Accelerator that grew into a $1B product portfolio. He was also an Accenture P&L executive, co-leading the North American Human Capital Practice in the telecom and media industry. More recently, he was the Chief Talent & Strategy Officer for Battelle, a $50B government contractor of classified and commercial technology. His focus has been on improving performance, market adoption, and leadership resilience in demanding environments.
Earlier in his career, Mark was based in Tokyo, Singapore, and Chicago for United Airlines (UAL). He was UAL's lead negotiator in the Pacific Rim for trade and government agreements. Simultaneously, he oversaw UAL's Executive Sales Institute world-wide; and was on the flight school faculty, FAA certified, for hostage negotiating and emergency services. Additionally, in the airline industry, he was notably recognized for co-leading the emergency response for UA flight #232, crash landing in Sioux City, Iowa.
During this time, Mark was also briefly on special assignment with the U.S. State Department, to support Prime Minister Gorbachev's political reformation efforts in the latter stages of Perestroika. Moscow and Leningrad-based, he worked with a select team of Soviet Generals in developing practices in negotiating peace agreements with their regional neighbors.
Mark earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead Mgmt. School; and his M.A. from Harvard University. He is a Kauffman Foundation Scholar; a Weatherhead Family Business Horvitz Fellow; a Post-Doctoral clinical resident from the Gestalt Institute; and visiting faculty at the Roman Catholic Pontifical College.
Additionally, he is author of the popular press edition of: “Toward Resilient Leadership; THRIVE: When Trouble Visits!” The 100 plus book interviews of CEO’s, four-star generals, astronauts, governors, senators, university presidents, clergy, elite athletes, media icons, and Hollywood celebrities focus on their personal stories of going to hell-and-back and the learned lived-wisdom along the way.
On the personal front, as a former British Outward Bound Survival School Instructor and Eagle Scout, he enjoys outdoor pursuits: running, sailing, and camping. He is married with three sons.