About Us
Welcome to Leiah's Mark!
Mission & Vision
Vision:
Children affected by the loss of a parent by suicide have an outlet and community to support their grief journey and navigate their new world.
Mission:
Leiah’s Mark assists youth in building strength, resilience, and hope after the tragic loss of a parent by suicide. We provide the financial means for them to play on, finding love, strength, and focus through sports.
Our History: Making the Good
In 2022 The Hoelbl family suffered a terrible loss. Mark, husband and father, died by suicide. During this difficult time, Mark’s daughter Leiah turned to sports. The time spent on the court was filled with fun and provided a physical outlet. Being on a team meant she had community, structure, and purpose. Volleyball gave her the ability to be a kid again in a world that looked very different without her dad. Leiah found strength, love, and focus through sports.
Losing a spouse to suicide is hard enough, but Jamie did not consider the financial burden they would face after losing half the household income. Sports are expensive and don’t always make the cut. Jamie started Leiah’s Mark to help child survivors of parent suicide pay for sports. During one of the darkest times in their lives, it was important she show Leiah that when you can’t find the good, you can make the good.
Leiah’s Mark incorporated in December of 2022 and looks forward to providing families with grief support, mental health education and resources after a loss of parent to suicide.
Statistics on Parental Suicide
Learn more about the far-reaching effects...
Brigham Young University: An estimated 7,000 to 30,000 children in the United States lose a parent to suicide each year.
National Institute for Health (NIH): A suicide death severely affects a family’s income and financial stability through the immediate loss of the deceased household member’s wages and economic contributions.
Kiplinger: The average U.S. family spends about $1,016 per year on a child’s primary sport.
Henry Ford Health: Physical activity reduces stress hormones while releasing endorphins, and studies demonstrate that playing sports significantly improves mental health outcomes for youth navigating difficult circumstances.
Behavioral Health News: Adolescents bereaved by suicide experience profound loneliness compared to their peers, while surviving parents often struggle to provide sufficient emotional support during the grieving process.
National Institute for Health (NIH): Playing sports and exercising alleviate grief by boosting mood, providing cognitive distraction from sadness, improving sleep quality, and fostering social connections through teamwork that reduces isolation.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Routines and boundaries provide a sense of safety and security during uncertain times, while extracurricular activities like sports and band help teens feel successful and maintain enjoyment and normalcy after a loss. –
Meet Our Leadership Team
Jamie Hoelbl
Founder & Board President
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Jamie Hoelbl is the President and Founder of Leiah’s Mark, a nonprofit organization born out of a deep personal mission to transform tragedy into purpose. Following the devastating loss of her husband, Mark, to suicide in 2022, Jamie committed herself to showing their daughter, Leiah, that when you cannot find the good in the world, you have the power to create it. Through this foundation, the Hoelbl family has found a path to healing while honoring Mark’s memory by spreading love, building strength, and providing essential focus and support to children who have lost a parent or guardian to suicide.
In her professional life, Jamie brings 13 years of valuable experience within the commercial construction industry. She currently serves as the Membership Manager for ASA Chicago (Association of Subcontractors and Affiliates), where she utilizes her strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. By combining her professional expertise with her profound personal devotion, Jamie passionately guides Leiah’s Mark in creating a resilient, supportive community for young survivors of loss.
Jenny Sansone
Board Treasurer
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Jennifer Sansone serves as the Treasurer of Leiah’s Mark, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading suicide awareness and supporting families navigating profound loss. Deeply connected to the organization’s mission, Jennifer serves in honor of her family as the sister of Mark and the proud aunt of Leiah. Driven by a generous heart and an open mind, she is deeply committed to uplifting the survivor community and creating a meaningful impact, one child at a time.
Professionally, Jennifer brings more than 25 years of extensive experience from her career in the transportation industry. She recently transitioned her professional focus to the utilities service sector, where she continues to apply her strong operational and leadership skills. Through her unique combination of professional expertise and personal devotion, Jennifer plays a vital role in advancing the mission of Leiah’s Mark and providing critical support to grieving families.
Richie Geiersbach
Board Secretary
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Richie Geiersbach serves as the Secretary of Leiah’s Mark, bringing a profound personal connection and a dedicated spirit to the organization’s mission. In 2022, Richie experienced the devastating loss of his best friend, Mark. Motivated by a desire to honor Mark’s memory and directly support Mark’s daughter Leiah through her grief journey, Richie stepped into an active leadership role during the foundational startup phase of Leiah’s Mark.
Professionally, Richie brings over a decade of valuable hands-on experience working in the trades. Known for his joyful heart and positive energy, he naturally spreads love and uplifts those around him. By combining his practical background with his deep devotion to his friend’s legacy, Richie plays an essential role in guiding the organization and fostering a supportive community for survivors of loss.
Leiah Hoelbl
Inspiration behind Leiah's Mark
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Leiah Hoelbl is the heartfelt inspiration and ambassador behind Leiah’s Mark, turning a journey of profound personal loss into a powerful mission of advocacy and emotional wellness for youth. In 2022, Leiah faced the devastating loss of her father, Mark, to suicide. Navigating this difficult time, she strength, love and focus in sports. Joining a top ranked volleyball club provided her with a vital community, reliable consistency, and a safe space where she could step onto the court, just be a kid again, and dedicate the sport she loves to her father’s memory.
During her five accomplished years competing with SPVB, Leiah’s resilience and character shone brightly, earning her multiple Sportsmanship Awards, the Fighting Spirit Award, and the prestigious Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) Athleader Award. Today, as a passionate ambassador for Leiah’s Mark, she uses her experiences to connect with other children navigating grief, demonstrating how community and sports can foster strength, build emotional wellness, and guide young survivors toward healing.
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