I am Mark Horoszowski and I will...

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 2 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #1,140 in Me, #132,540 overall

...I AM changing the world.

One in two Americans suffer from a chronic health condition. By empowering volunteers, better connecting people with their health data, and working in collaboration with other non-profits, I'm leading an effort to lower that rate.






I am making a difference... How?

  • Founder of 1in2 non-profit - helping people lead healthier lives.
  • Volunteer on American Cancer Society's National Leadership Training Team - better empowering volunteers.
  • Account Executive at White Space Healthcare Marketing - helping Microsoft help people connect with their health data.
  • Learner of anything and everything - Reading, watching, observing and absorbing as much as possible
  • Lover of fun
  • Leader of change

What I do now 

Help People Live Healthier
We started 1in2 in 2007 to help promote healthier lifestyles. We execute yearly fundraising and publicity events, such as 3 Mountains. 3 Days. 1 Cure (View our quest on King 5 News here). The fundraisers were great, but we were not thinking big enough - we weren't connecting people. Now the mission is to make 1in2 a nationwide umbrella organization connecting, creating, and acting on synergies between the prevention, healthy lifestyle, early detection and advocacy pillars of existing non-profits and public interest groups. Even though I've done a lot of planning for this, I am confident that this alternative MBA program will challenge my vision, and possibly present new, better alternatives.


Empower Volunteers
On the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life National Leadership Training Team, my job is to create and deliver effective volunteer training and development programs. I always strive to make trainings interactive, engaging, memorable, and impactful. This year, I created a presentation called Fight Back Through Fundraising. Instead of telling people how to be better fundraisers, or explaining how I have done a great job, I instead challenged them to adopt different personas to create a more holistic and comprehensive fundraising plan. The American Cancer Society has adopted this presentation as a principal training guide to be utilized nationwide, and it is our goal that we will see a return on investment through increased volunteer fundraising. A flash/interactive version of the presentation is posted on my blog or as a Powerpoint of my actual presentation on me SlideShare account .

"Not only has Mark gone above and beyond in his efforts to help over thirty income events that I work with but hundreds of others throughout the country. His presentation abilities leave a lasting impression and I know that others feel the same as I have hundreds of survey responses praising his trainings" - Russ Kukini, Executive Director, American Cancer Society


Connect People With Their Health Data
At White Space, I manage our Microsoft HealthVault account and work hard to exceed my client's every expectation. Equally important as the client is my team. I make every effort to ensure that each member of my team is happy, properly coached, and recognized for their hard work. Ultimately, as a marketer, I view myself as the last line of defense. As such, I do my best to add value to consumers by pushing back on the client to create a better product and user experience on HealthVault (Microsoft HealthVault lets you gather, store, and share health information online). I was also the project manager for OneTouchZoom, LifeScan's free and online diabetes management software that works with Microsoft HealthVault.

"Mark brings a winning combination of youthful enthusiasm and a mature sense of dedication to every project he touches. He is a highly valued colleague who consistently respects and validates the contributions of every member of our team. Mark demonstrates his strength on a daily basis as a critical thinker and an articulate communicator. I am continually impressed with his polished, professional, yet highly engaging interaction with clients. Despite a grueling work schedule, he devotes an incredible amount of time and energy to work with the cancer community. Mark is a truly remarkable young man..."
August 13, 2008
Lynn Nezin, PhD, EVP Business Development, White Space Healthcare Marketing. Works directly with Mark at White Space Healthcare Marketing.



Lifelong Learner
I love learning! I seize every opportunity to learn more. Blogs, books, magazines... everything I can do to keep learning. I dedicated an entire module about my desire to be a lifelong learner.

Coach and Facilitator of Fun
I love having fun, doing things that are fun, and making it fun for other people. I volunteer my time as a training director for Husky Winter Sports Ski School, a University of Washington student organization. My goal is to train effective coaches through engaging, unorthodox and interactive training sessions. I never talk more than a minute at a time. And we always have fun - guaranteed. I think it is working because other ski schools keep trying to steal our instructors. I carry the same coaching and fun-loving principles into my American Cancer Society work as well.

Why I do it 

The Ripple Effect: I believe I can help people, and get them to help others.

I am a leader, but I know I can be a better leader.
I love learning. I love improving. I love making myself a better person.
I do it all to grow.

ONE - 1in2:
Current statistics say that healthy lifestyles can reduce risk by over 50% for some diseases. Currently, the healthcare system is burdened - diabetes is a boarder-line epidemic, cancer kills around 1,500 per day, and heart disease takes people in even great numbers. Clearly there is a need for healthier, smarter decisions - I believe I can help. I believe I can make change. I believe that everything I am learning now will help me lead change.

TWO - AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY VOLUNTEER:
At a recent funeral, I spoke these words:
"I fought cancer [i.e., volunteered for ACS] because I hated it. In the process, my love for mankind has grown because of the people I have met during the fight. I now fight cancer, or rather, I am irrationally committed to the fight against cancer no longer because I hate it, but because I love the people that I met who are also fighting it. It is amazing how much stronger love is than hate. Cary taught me a lot in our brief interactions. His spirit will remain with all of those he has touched."

I also volunteer because I love it. I love training people. I love thinking BIG about the strategic training programs we are developing. I love presenting and executing training sessions in a creative and effective way in order to improve retention and ultimately, action.

THREE - WHITE SPACE:
After I got my Masters in Accounting, I decided I didn't want to be an auditor. I wanted to make change, not just affirm (or argue) it. I left my position at PricewaterhouseCoopers and joined White Space, hoping to learn more about the healthcare industry, to gain experience creating campaigns, managing projects, and to grow as a leader. And in November, I was a featured partner of my firm. You can see the page here.

FOUR - TRAINING DIRECTOR, HUSKY WINTER SPORTS:
I love skiing. I love teaching. And I love coaching.

I hope to learn 

...how to better help people

I want to improve my ability to:

  • Encourage healthier lifestyles and disease prevention
  • Empower people and volunteers
  • Offer valuable insight and analysis to clients
  • Affect more change and growth by being a more effective trainer, coach and leader

Growing in these areas will help me:
A. Think strategically
B. Lead and coach
C. Present and train
D. Manage projects and work flow
E. Increase knowledge, awareness, and understanding
F. Gain confidence to make change

After I learn what I need to learn, this is what I am going to do 

"Once you have tested the fact that you can change the world, no one can take that away from you" -Bill Drayton


I'm going to build a tribe, and develop 1in2 to its fullest potential. As of now, my plan is as follows. Most likely (and hopefully) under your tutelage, it will evolve and improve.

Step 1: Grow a tribe across the spectrum of health related non-profits, consisting of volunteers yearning to be more productive. My membership on the ACS National Leadership Training Team and my blog are helping me build this tribe. I'm also working on some online widgets (like this one), canned presentations, and eBooks based on developing volunteers in key areas: Fundraising, Recruitment, Event planning, Project Management, Presentations, Sponsorship, Recognition, and Meeting Development. I'll distribute them all online for free viewing and use, and leverage these materials to create a nationwide volunteer accreditation program, similar to professional or continuing education credits, but designed specifically for volunteers. I believe a nationwide certificate program would drive volunteers (especially youth) to become more engaged, and more powerful proponents of change.

Step 2: Leverage this tribe of non-profit volunteers to improve their education and advocacy efforts. Not an easy task, but I will then engage these volunteers in implementing better education and advocacy programs into their planning. Then demonstrate how to turn these programs into new recruitment, fundraising and sponsorship opportunities, thereby helping volunteers fulfill the missions of their respective non-profits.

(Caution, the remaining steps need a LOT more strategic development)

Step 3: Fully launch 1in2 by connecting synergistic arms of non-profits to improve our education system and advocacy efforts. This involves creating a united front of health non-profits to address the legislative body of the Government, the Center for Disease Control and the State Boards of Health about the need to implement and emphasize education focused on healthy lifestyle choices at our schools. This still needs a lot of planning, but after-school programs aimed at involvement, education, personal growth, and healthier lifestyles have a lot of potential.

Step 4: Create effective healthy lifestyle and education tools and programs for teams and small businesses. Still needs a lot of planning... I work with a brilliant health psychologist who REALLY wants to co-pilot this program, and I can't wait to give her direction and let her brilliance shine.

My true story about making a change in the world 

I have tested that fact that I can change the world, and I plan to keep testing it over and over again.

I think this picture shows it. I provided kids going through cancer therapy the chance to be superstars. I made them heroes in front of over 1,500+ attendees at Relay For Life by showcasing them as "Heroes of Hope". It helped them see the value they brought to the event, and also the HOPE that they were spreading. And now, every year, they continue to spread hope with their cancer survivorship stories.

But if the picture doesn't do it, perhaps the numbers are more measurable. I helped start a Relay for Life at the University of Washington that, under my direction, raised over $333,000 in three years. But more importantly, since I have left, Relay for Life at UW has raised over $700,000 in the past three years (and counting). I helped develop those that succeeded me, and am so proud that they outshined me!

In 2005, we were the top ranked Relay, out of over 4,000 Relays in the nation, in online fundraising. We shared our experiences with other Relays at our annual training summit, and got smashed the next year by other events. It felt great. The accomplishments that I have inspired others to do far outweigh my own, but I consider it a positive change that I left behind. Here is what Nicole Hill, American Cancer Society Vice President of Emerging Markets said about me:

"I strongly believe Mark has made a significant impact in the success of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life program in the last 5 years. He has trained and impacted thousands of events. Mark is one of the most outstanding leaders I have ever met."

I overcame a dip 

Physical dips.
During 3 Mountains. 3 Days. 1 Cure. we pushed ourselves to the limit. We spent 3 times as much time hiking as we did sleeping in those 3 days. We were sore, tired, beat-up, and all around exhausted. We pushed through, climbed and skied all 3 mountains in 66 hours, and achieved my most significant physical accomplishment to date. It felt amazing. Here is the news story about it.

Last year, our fundraising event for 1in2 was to climb and ski Mt. Rainier (Washington's tallest peak). We were tracking to make the summit, but weather was moving in and my ski boot broke. We turned back, and felt completely defeated. But part of the dip is recognizing when to keep going, and when to quit.

I write about my physical dips because they serve as cross-training for real world application. It is good to experience adversity, and even defeat, because in the end, I realized that failing isn't the end-all and be-all. Rather, it gives one the tenacity and courage to push through the dip the next time around. And I have faced many dips.

In the 'real world', every one of my major projects has experienced the dip. There have been times where I have put in sleepless nights in order to make delivery dates to client. There were times at Relay For Life of UW when we weren't sure if we would make our goal. Because we knew that we might not, we developed new action plans and got more people to help us get through the dip.

In my mind, I know that every project, work or volunteer related, is susceptible to the dip. And with this knowledge, I always approach things with a sense of urgency. I am always putting in 133.33% effort to make sure we avoid the dip, or at least have the resources to power through.

One astonishing thing I did... and how I did it 

I got a bunch of people together, and we made it remarkable!


I TRULY overcame a dip when I joined Relay For Life of UW as the official Event Chair. We barely had anything - we had lost almost the entire planning committee from the prior year, along with a large majority of our participants. We did what we had to do - we recruited new people and together, we elevated what was just another small community fundraiser to one of the top college Relays in the nation, and #1 in online fundraising. (Read more under "My true story about making a change in the world.")

In retrospect, turning what was a small Relay into one of the top College Relay's in the nation was easy. Simply said, I got a bunch of people together, got them excited, passionate and motivated. We had fun. We pushed through the dip, and we made a cool video to highlight it:

(p.s. I'm the one dressed in an old suit, dancing high in the stadium, pumping my fists in the air - 2:40 in...)

Relay Video 2005

highlight video of the 2005 University of Washington Relay for Life!

Runtime: 257
1393 views
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curated content from YouTube

My wish can help your wish 

On the call on December 4th I asked you: "What do you hope to learn from this? What is your wish?" You said that "You (Seth) love to teach. And your wish is that, in fifty years, you will be a small part in the lives of those that are changing the world." And to that, I say "great fit!" I want to learn, and I want to create change - I want you to coach me.

My best friend's dad passed away because his cancer was diagnosed too late. The same thing happened to my mom's best friend. My grandpa from a heart attack. A family friend from co-morbidities related to diabetes. The list goes on, and so does the pain in my heart. My family is fortunate that my parents' cancer was caught on time. My wish is for everybody to be fortunate like me. My wish is for 1in2 to help them. My wish is for you to help me.

You should also know... 

that if you're reading this, you have something to teach me...

I believe that everybody has something to teach me. I always think that everybody is smarter, more creative, and more knowledgeable than I am. It's surprising how much I have learned as a result! Over time, I have affirmed that my above statement is definitely true - everybody is smarter than me, and they have something to teach me. So bring it on!

Accolades and recommendations 

Nice things that nice people have said about me:

Kathy Luette:
"Wow!" is the first word that I associate with Mark Horoszowski. The second is "Zany."

Mark has brought a great deal of energy and zeal to an already amazing team. His wit, confidence, and style make him a stand-out in any crowd.

I admire Mark's ability to build an immediate rapport with any size audience - and, thus, be able to reach their hearts with his message.

Oh, and he has incredible talent, too."

Kathy Luette, National Training Director, American Cancer Society, Relay For Life

Nicole Hill:
"It is rare to find someone as intelligent, dedicated, driven, creative and warm-hearted as Mark. He leads with enthusiasm that others are drawn to. He motivates and leads with vigor that empowers others at a local and national level to be successful. I strongly believe Mark has made a significant impact in the success of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life program in the last 5 years. He has trained and impacted thousands of events. Mark is one of the most outstanding leaders I have ever met."
Nicole Hill - Vice President, Relay For Life and Emerging Markets

Lynn Nezin:
"Mark brings a winning combination of youthful enthusiasm and a mature sense of dedication to every project he touches. He is a highly valued colleague who consistently respects and validates the contributions of every member of our team. Mark demonstrates his strength on a daily basis as a critical thinker and an articulate communicator. I am continually impressed with his polished, professional, yet highly engaging interaction with clients. Despite a grueling work schedule, he devotes an incredible amount of time and energy to work with the cancer community. Mark is a truly remarkable young man and I hope to have the honor to continue to work with him as his career develops.."
August 13, 2008
Lynn Nezin, PhD, EVP Business Development, White Space Healthcare Marketing. Works directly with Mark at White Space Healthcare Marketing.

Kelly Ronan:
"Mark is one of those unique leaders who continually brings out the best in the people around him. Inspiring people to push the limits and challenge themselves, being on a team with Mark means you'll be a part of something more incredible than you could have ever imagined. Thinking outside the box is not simply a strength of Mark's, indeed it is a way of life. Mark looks for no external reward for anything he does - simply the knowledge that his time and effort has made a positive impact on others."
Kelly Ronan, Volunteer, American Cancer Society

Mark Edmiaston:
"Mark Horoszowski has been a great asset to the American Cancer Society. His passion for the cause combined with his ability to get people engaged in our mission is amazing. Mark has been called on as a motivational speaker for several national American Cancer Society conferences from our Relay For Life Summits to our National Constituent Relationship Management Conference with the top leadership of our national and divisional organizations in attendance. Mark's ability to connect with individuals in a group setting and deliver messages that are memorable, inspiring and motivational is exactly what makes Mark an amazing asset to our organization. As a volunteer, Mark has not only motivated people but has led by example and has excelled at not only our organizational activities around cancer awareness but has also been successful in pushing our organization to be on the forefront of information and social networking. Mark will continue to be a volunteer leader for the American Cancer Society for years to come.
- Mark Edmiaston
Chief Development and Community Engagement Officer
Great West Division
American Cancer Society

Julie Schwarz:
"Mark's volunteer work as training director of Husky Winter Sports has had a very positive impact on the club. First and foremost he was a fantastic instructor, helping others greatly improve their skiing and teaching. I personally feel like my skiing and teaching abilities have improved dramatically due to Mark's training, and have seen how he has turned timid novices into confident skiers. Also, he always made sure that the clinics he led were fun, taking his instruction beyond what was required by the Professional Ski Instructors Association to teach instructors how core ski skills can be applied to ski powder and slide rails. Finally, Mark has been a great mentor, helping the next generation of trainers at Husky Winter Sports by giving them advice, participating in meetings, and checking in to make sure the new trainers are prepared. Even with his busy schedule, Mark has managed to help out the new trainers. Mark has had an undoubtedly positive impact on the club, and we are very thankful for his efforts and dedication."
- Julia Schwarz, Ski Instructor

Write up as White Space Featured Partner:
Job: Account executive, humanitarian, alpinist, Superman.

Cred: From his humble beginnings as our office accountant, Mark has made a meteoric rise in the ranks of White Space. Is it his intelligence, humility, and stamina-or incredibly high levels of charm? Is it the fact that he regularly brings in refreshments for colleagues on occasions they're forced to work as late as he does? Is it the way he delivers his Poweroints? The truth is: We don't really know. And frankly, we don't really care. As long as Mark continues to bring it, we'll continue to thank our lucky stars we snagged him when we did. And being Superman, Mark doesn't stop at work. He's an Eagle Scout, a Level III ski instructor, and a member of the National Leadership Training Team for the American Cancer Society. Oh yeah, and he climbs mountains. Actual mountains. For charity, no less.

Fun Fact: As a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, Mark climbed, and then skied, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Baker in 66 hours-doing the final descent backwards"


Russ Kukini:
I have had the pleasure of working with Mark Horoszowski for a little over two years. During that time I have always been amazed with his commitment to the organization and our mission of ending cancer.

Mark is the special reinforcement the American Cancer Society brings in to help train, motivate, and be a model to our top volunteers. Our organization relies on key volunteers throughout the country to build Relay For Life events and ultimately raise money for research and touch those that have been affected by cancer to give them hope. Needless to say the skills and passion needed to do this job is great. Even greater is the job of those we count on to train take this special group to a point where they can build events that raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. I can say without a doubt that of all the people I have worked with Mark is the person I go to first for support.

Not only has Mark gone above and beyond in his efforts to help over thirty income events that I work with but hundreds of others throughout the country. His presentation abilities leave a lasting impression and I know that others feel the same as I have hundreds of survey responses praising his trainings.

It goes without saying that I highly recommend Mark Horoszowski and please contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Russ Kukini
Executive Director, American Cancer Society

Terry Wilcox:
"Mark's level of passion and commitment to his volunteer role with the American Cancer Society is inspirational. He brings excitement, energy and innovative ideas that focus on promoting overall wellness and cancer prevention to those he touches. Mark has an outstanding reputation among his fellow ACS volunteers and Staff Members as a reliable and dedicated volunteer, not only in the Puget Sound Region but around the country. His insight, training and support has empowered many Relay Chairs to incorporate energizing new ideas into their Relay For Life events, which has lead to overall growth in several Relays.
I could go on forever since I have so much respect for you and what you do. However, if I did, they might think we're related."

Terry Wilcox, American Cancer Society volunteer

My Blog 

HowToRelay - A volunteer's guide to changing the world

This blog will share the latest and greatest strategies and ideas for the non-profit volunteer. From event planning, to recruitment, to fundraising, and volunteer development and growth - And what it means to you, your family, friends, community... and maybe even the world at large.

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Life long learning 

I need it... I love it...

My most recent and favorite books (part I) 

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

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The Places In Between

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Whack on the Side of the Head, How to be More Creative

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Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

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My most recent and favorite books (part 2) 

The Alchemist

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Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

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Updated & Expanded 2006 Edition of the World Is Flat

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Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means

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Whom I told 

Not sure if they applied... but this is whom I told, and how

I told people that I think are as qualified, or more qualified than me. I emailed them, then gave them a personal phone call. I would gladly write an incredible letter of recommendation for any of them:

Paul Horoszowski. He's my brother. He graduated in mechanical engineering for University of Washington at the top of his class. Now he's a personal trainer.

Grace Kwon. Grace is an Advisory Associate for Management Consulting at Pricewaterhouse Coopers. We got our Masters together, and she's a lot smarter than me. She's considered getting an MBA, and hopefully she'll consider this.

AJ Aquino. My good friend since middle school. Now he is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. Smart and well networked, AJ has taught me a lot about being more creative.

Nicole Wickswat. Nicole is an analyst at Intel. She has been considering getting an MBA, and I told her to consider this.

Nikki Chau. A former co-worker, incredibly knowledgeable about marketing in the online world. Social media is her expertise.

Christie Youde. Christie is an acquaintance of mine. She has sent me a lot of research she did for MBA programs she is likely applying to next year. One of them is in New York, and this sounds like a great match for her!

If any of these people apply, I would be honored to enhance their chances with a letter of recommendation, a phone call, or by answering any questions.

Will I really move to New York? 

Yes

I have friends, and friends have couches. I already have a place to stay.

I am ready.

My Favorite Photos (of me) 

... a couple at least!

(You can click on each picture for more information)

curated content from Flickr

The Appendix - More about what I do at White Space and beyond 

And other notable accomplishments

In summary, I:
1. Absorb as much as I can, about everything.
2. Challenge myself in every opportunity.
3. Consider the potential, take it from good to great
4. Dream of changing the world, take action to create reality.
5. Have fun.

White Space is a young, strategic marketing firm based in Seattle that focuses solely on healthcare clients. At White Space, I work with clients to develop business and marketing strategy, and then lead our design and technical teams to execute the campaigns.

I started as an accountant in 2007, but quickly switched to a project manager. After leading the design, development, and implementation of One Touch Zoom, an online diabetes management software that works with Microsoft HealthVault, I was promoted to an Account Executive. Within four months, I helped secure Microsoft HealthVault as our newest client, and now it is one of our biggest accounts.

I have developed priceless skills through my experience of managing a team in the execution of an entire B2B and B2C marketing campaign. In addition, I have been challenged to improve my strategic thinking, and to make sure we are always providing value to our clients. It's also a confidence booster. I continue to receive accolades from our client and from my internal team, which helps me feel more confident about my ability to develop programs and lead teams in the future. The most recent:
"Mark, thanks so much for the card! You have to know it's always a pleasure working with you! You're a great inspiration to me with your great work ethic and strategic thinking- we wouldn't have Microsoft if it weren't for you!
Cheers, Sherelle"

-Sherelle Sinko, Associate Creative Director, White Space

You see more of me at my LinkedIN profile

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by MarkHoroszowski

My name is Mark Horoszowski.
I want to help people.

As a volunteer, I serve on the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life National Leadership Trai... (more)
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