Testimonials
"Mark’s subject matter expertise is at the intersection of public relations and health and wellness. This unique experience positions Mark to provide insights and counsel that have a real impact on employee and organizational well-being. If your agency is experiencing a challenge with turnover, managing a hybrid culture or employee engagement or are just ready to commit to an organizational well-being strategy, talk to Mark. He’s been in your employee’s shoes and can help your organizations or agency chart a better path forward."
— Rebecca Martin, SVP, Culture & Talent, Beehive Strategic Communication
"Mark's planted some really practical seeds on how each of us can prioritize our health & wellness and debunk the idea that 'we don’t have time.' I’m excited to see how this comes alive in our daily lives and highly recommend his session for any organization committed to the well-being of their team!"
— Renee Schlachter, VP People, Extensis
"Mark is an incredible resource for professionals working to balance their lives, careers, and health. We all need to be reminded that it’s not just ok, but critical, to put ourselves first so that we can show up most effectively for everyone else around us. Thanks, Mark, for being such a source of motivation and inspiration for us all!”
— Ann Smith, Founder, A.wordsmith
"I am excited that Mark chose to kick off his Chasing the Sun Spring Speaker Series at this year’s PRSA Employee Communications Conference, Connect22! From his pre-conference workshop on designing your personal wellness story to his luncheon keynote, Mark proved that he is a much-needed ray of sunshine for communicators across the globe. His Ted Lasso-themed presentation demonstrated how leaders at all levels can show empathy in a way that will have a lasting impact for employees during their tenure at an organization and beyond. Our return to an in-person conference format wouldn’t have been the same without Mark’s participation. I walked away inspired, both personally and professionally, by his story and focus on wellness. I highly recommend Mark to any professional organization or company seeking a seasoned speaker who is delivering the right messages at the right time for communications and PR professionals.
— Laura Wentz, PRSA Connect22 Conference Chair
"As a business owner and PRSA leader, I’ve seen a lot of workshops and speakers that promise to motivate, inspire and provide concrete tools, but fail to deliver. Mark nails this in the first ten minutes. Mark connects with everyone in a very genuine, human way, then helps each to develop a unique plan that’s realistic and measurable. He does so because he marries his impressive experience as a communicator with tremendous energy and passion that ensures everyone walks out the door with a solid plan for a better life. Bottom line, Mark inspires me to achieve my goals for my health, so I can achieve them for my family and my clients.”
— Jacque Coe, APR
“Mark Mohammadpour, APR is showing us how to do something many of us woefully neglect—take care of ourselves. Mark has figured out through his unique life experience that we can’t take care of others’ needs until we have our own in balance. His mindful, nuanced approach to self-care is neither naïve nor simplistic. It is instead wonderfully strategic—just as our work must be. Mark is the PR health guru most of us needed long, long ago. Thank goodness he’s here now!”
— Dave Thompson, APR, Fellow PRSA
"Mark is someone who genuinely wants others to live their best lives in their best light - he is the epitome of chasing the sun and helped me chase my dreams as well."
— Meredith Mirrington, Strategic Communications Leader
"Mark’s workshop totally revamped how I thought (and think) about health and reaching those goals, too! And the fact that Mark comes from the PR profession was the icing on the cake! Knowing this about Mark helped me connect with him from the beginning. I would highly recommend Mark for group workshops for anyone in public relations and also to consider him for professional coaching too!"
— Christy McGee, APR, Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8, Colorado
“Mark shared surprising industry data, inspiring personal anecdotes, and tangible ways PR professionals can put their health first. Mark’s energy was infectious, he was incredibly engaging, and we received nonstop compliments from our members about how well the session resonated with them.”
— Lindsay Leszczynski, Dignity Health
“Mark Mohammadpour and his company, Chasing the Sun, are advocates for holistic employee well-being and the importance of putting the whole person first. They craft people-centered messages about well-being to both address and reduce stress and anxiety among employees. Whether through a keynote speech to your company or in small-group workshops, I’ve witnessed first-hand how business leaders can make real-time changes to positively impact their teams. Companies and their employees will benefit Chasing the Sun to help them reach their business objectives.”
— Sarah Burke, Senior Manager, Enterprise Internal Communications, Rockwell Automation
“Mark’s superpower is empathy and that is the through line for all his passionate work. This empathy, driven by his own backstory, sustains his energy to keep enhancing his business to meet the ever-changing needs of his clients. With Cov-19, health and wellness took center stage and Mark was right there ready to deliver high-quality services to companies ready to make a change. His programming is doable, small steps carefully choreographed make it easy for clients to integrate his teaching and programming into their structure. Additionally, Mark is just enjoyable to be around, to work with, to dream with, to have as that close confidante to tell you to keep going, you can do it. Everyone, every business, every employee needs a Mark in their corner.”
— Sara Jackson, Director, Internal Communications, Park National Bank
“Mark is relatable and his genuineness comes through whenever you are lucky enough to hear him speak. His column on workplace wellness is one of the first articles I read in PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics.
While Mark may not work in school communications, his message transcends career fields. When he speaks, people want to stop and listen. In a world that is often clogged with message overload, emails and never-ending to-do lists, Mark has the ability to make people want to press pause, take a look at their priorities and understand the importance of making time for health and personal wellness. This bodes well for organizational leaders who understand the correlation between employees who prioritize their health and their productivity.
Mark is engaging, encouraging and inspirational as he reminds us that it’s okay to take care of ourselves and that we will be better at our jobs because of it.
— Betsy Fuller, Director, School/Community Relations at Lakota Local Schools
“Mark’s energy and enthusiasm are refreshing and motivating! He gives tangible takeaways to help prevent workplace burnout and provide personal wellness that is simple and easy to accomplish. I have a list above my work computer to remind me to put me first. I highly recommend his workshop to help find the work-life balance we are all searching for.”
— Sam Briggs, APR, Director of Communications, Widefield School District 3, Colorado
“As Oregon school PR pros headed into the spring and what would become a year of remote learning, Mark provided a well-received and appreciated session on the inner work (mental health, wellness, joy) of communication professionalism. Participants walked away feeling recharged, re-tooled, and well attended to.”
— Laura Conroy, Director of Strategic Engagement, Multnomah ESD, Oregon
“Sitting in a workshop with Mark Mohammadpour, APR is informative and entertaining. But, it is so much more. Mark gives you the time and space to put yourself first – to think about yourself and what steps you can take to become the best you can be – and that’s truly a gift! There is no denying that our jobs are hard. I don’t care how tough you think you are – there are days that get the better of us – we don’t always get the sleep we need and if we get time for lunch or dinner, it’s not always something healthy. Mark gets it – he is a seasoned PR pro that has worked the long hours and ate the unhealthy meals. But Mark turned it around, got healthy and can share what he learned on his road to good health in a fun, non-judgmental way that makes his workshop sessions feel more like a therapy session with your best friend. His advice and tips on how to take care of yourself, along with his nutritional expertise will get you on the road to a healthier and better you.”
— Carol Fenstermacher, APR
“What I really appreciated about Mark’s presentation was the ability to come away with concrete steps to take when assessing and improving wellness. It is one thing to hear someone tell you what they did to complete a project or meet a goal; it is quite another for them to give you the roadmap you can follow to achieve your own success. Rather than suggest large, wholesale changes that can often seem overwhelming, the focus on taking it one step at a time makes addressing improvements to your wellness feel attainable.”
— Krystyna Baumgartner, APR
"I attended Marks's session at NSPRA 2021. It was one of my favorite sessions. Mark created an atmosphere of sharing and support. For the first time in a PD session, I felt comfortable opening up about my feelings and my mental wellness. It was therapeutic.”
— Matt Stamp, Communications & Elections Director, Pima County School Superintendent's Office
“As part of our ongoing DEI initiative, our Allyship group was thrilled to host Mark’s presentation on Leading with Empathy: Lessons from Ted Lasso. Mark is a dynamic speaker. His personal story resonates with everyone who’s struggled to overcome challenges in their own lives. Illustrating key concepts using examples from the Ted Lasso TV show gave participants an opportunity to witness empathy in action while keeping the stakes low and the mood light. We would highly recommend Mark as a speaker with the ability to both elevate and motivate his audience.”
— Bonnie Gibson, CRIS, Sr. Account Manager - Supervisor, Woodruff Sawyer
“As a former agency professional from intern through executive, Mark takes pride in understanding the challenges we face at every level which is evident in his ability to create relevant content for the complex world of agency life. We brought Mark back because his custom interactive workshops take to heart the specific challenges we want to tackle. He brings data to back up every single one of his key points and recommendations, which as communications professionals we appreciate. He ensures his programs were respectful of the needs of the staff as well as adherence to our HR policies. Since we’ve participated in Mark’s workshops over the last several years, we’ve been able to facilitate more open conversation about mental health in the agency workplace and we’ve experienced more dialogue surrounding these often-complicated topics.”
— Weber Shandwick Boston’s Mental Health Advocacy Committee
Work With Chasing the Sun.
We look forward to learning more about you and how we can play a role. Please fill out the form below, and we will respond to your request within 48 business hours.