Mark Sanford Gross on Cartwheels on the Sky

Mark Sanford Gross considers himself “1/3 NY, 1/3 Washington, DC and 1/3 San Francisco.” and for the past 8 years Mark, along with his husband Billy and their two Hungarian shepards, has called Anchor Bay home. He moved to Washington DC to work in radio where he sold advertising for ABC radio’s first FM Rock station, WRQX. During that time he earned his MBA in Management from Marymount University. He moved on to two other radio stations learning radio formats and audience behavior. The Washington Post took Mark out of radio and into the world of newspaper in the nation’s capitol. It was during that time mark was accepted into part-time creative writing at John Hopkins University where he earned his MA over three years of full time work and full time writing fit into part time structure. After 12 years at the Post’s “DC mothership” he was asked to start an experimental remote home office in San Francisco to be the brand ambassador representing The Washington Post and Washington DC. “It was the first time of blending opposite ways of thinking. Silicon Valley was becoming the center of innovation and Washington, DC was the center of policy and regulation. Often one didn’t understand the language of the other”. Over the next fifteen years Mark developed his relationship skills learning how to bring together groups and teams of individuals with all their differences. In 2013, Mark was awarded the Washington Post prestigious Eugene Meyer Award named after Katharine Grahams father for his career contributions and principles. He retired in 2015 when they moved to Anchor Bay. Since coming to the coast he’s been a reporter for the ICO. Volunteer for KGUA. A board member of Gualala Arts Center and the Point Arena Lighthouse. He contributed to the Lighthouse Peddler and volunteered for programs at Action Network. He started a running club. In 2022, he hosted discussion groups on James Joyce, Ulysses. Everything he’s done so far has been a part of learning how to build community across differences. “When I left the Post