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Mark is a writer, entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for people with differing abilities. As an author himself, Mark understands the writer’s perspective. He also understands the need to make more diverse voices heard and to create more dialogue and examples around two topics: showing what people with differing abilities can do and showing the importance of a business having an impact greater than the bottom line.
As an undergraduate, Mark studied at Holy Cross and Trinity College, Dublin and learned to write under the tutelage of the poets Galway Kinnell, Etheridge Knight, Brendan Kennelly and Robert Cording. Later, he worked with the short story master, Lee K. Abbott… Read More
Mark studied American literature at the graduate level at the City University of New York
where he studied with Alfred Kazin. Mark has published poems, short stories and non-
fiction essays concerning policy issues and business practices. He also wrote a movie
review column for a Queens newspaper.
When not writing, Mark is an entrepreneur, public speaker and advocate. He co-founded
John’s Crazy Socks, a social enterprise, with a mission to spread happiness, with his
son John Cronin and they have built it into the world’s largest sock store. Mark is a
frequent keynote speaker and has travelled across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico for
speaking engagements. He is also a fierce advocate for the rights of people with
differing abilities and has spoken at the United Nations, testified twice before Congress
and given two TEDx Talks on the subject. He was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
John Cronin is an entrepreneur, public speaker and advocate who happens to have Down syndrome. Together with his father Mark, John created John’s Crazy Socks, a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness. John serves as the Chief Happiness Officer of John’s Crazy Socks. Every day, John shows what people with differing abilities can do – more than half his colleagues have a differing ability.
John has spoken at conferences, businesses, colleges and universities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. His advocacy work has seen John testify twice before the U.S Congress
Every day, John shows what people with differing abilities can do – more than half his colleagues have a differing ability. John has spoken at conferences, businesses, colleges and universities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. His advocacy work has seen John testify twice before the U.S Congress and speak at the United Nations. He has been named EY Entrepreneur of the Year. He became “sock buddies” with President George H. W. Bush. John is a Special Olympic athlete competing in soccer, track and field, basketball and snowshoe. John’s Crazy Socks pledges five percent of its earnings to the Special Olympics and has donated over $150,000 to the Special Olympics. John is a graduate of Huntington High School and Wilson Tech. John is a member of the Board for the National Down Syndrome Society and the CEO Commission for Disability Employment.
Pabitra brings over 10 years of professional experience as a graphic artist with specific experience as a children’s book illustrator and cover designer. He has a unique talent to blend the creative with the practical and to work as a team player capturing in pictures what others describe in words. He works with our authors and editors to create book covers and graphics that help bring a manuscript alive and attract the attention of readers.
