Island Life: Rec director Bresnahan lives the Palm Beach life he touts in his job

Editor's Note: This is part of an occasional series of stories about life in Palm Beach.

When Mark Bresnahan extols the virtues of living a healthy, happy and purposeful life — supporting others in that endeavor is part of his job, after all — he’s not just talking the talk.

The avid fitness buff who quaffs a green smoothie each morning seizes every day “as an opportunity to give back, learn something new and find adventure.”

That would even include how he proposed to his wife three years ago: on a commercial airliner over the loudspeaker (with the plane crew’s permission and blessing) as passengers clapped and cheered.

“Helping others live a healthier, happier and longer life is part of what I do, but it’s also personal to me,” Bresnahan, 44, told the Daily News.

As director of the Town of Palm Beach’s Department of Recreation, Bresnahan oversees the island’s Mandel Recreation Center, the Par 3 Golf Course, Seaview Park and Phipps Ocean Park tennis centers.

Read more: Island Life: Profiles of folks who celebrate Palm Beach living

That goes beyond fostering fitness, sports and wellness programs: Residents take their golf, tennis, yoga, language classes, children’s activities and more seriously — right down to expecting good parking facilities and topnotch equipment, including a body-composition analyzer Bresnahan installed in the rec center.

“I’m so proud of our staff as we’re so aligned in our mission,” Bresnahan said.

Bresnahan became Department of Recreation director in March 2021 after having been program development and operations manager.

The department set participation and revenue records in recent years.

Bresnahan, a native of St. Louis, previously has held operations and administrative positions at universities: Palm Beach Atlantic, Florida State and Harvard. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri, where he was student-body president, and a master's from Western Illinois University.

Bresnahan and his wife, Jenn, an attorney, live in North Palm Beach with their 5-month-old son, Bryson.

Some of their family experiences — from sleepless nights parenting an infant to that sky-high marriage proposal — can be viewed on the couple's YouTube channel (JARKTV).

“We enjoy (documenting) these things, but we also want to share with and help others who also may be young parents,” Bresnahan said.

The workout-and-fitness enthusiast regularly paddleboards, foil-surfs (riding a surfboard with a hydrofoil fixed to it), plays in area soccer leagues and runs along Palm Beach’s Lake Trail.

The Daily News recently caught up further with him.

What three things should people know about you?

1) I’ve been to 44 countries across six continents and truly believe travel is one of the most enriching and educational experiences. Immersing yourself in another culture firsthand helps broaden your horizons and helps you better understand different perspectives … I can’t wait to travel out of the country with Bryson. We already applied for his passport!

2) I won the wife lotto in marrying Jenn (an attorney): She’s brilliant, funny, beautiful, kindhearted and the managing partner at her firm. She is the best mom to Bryson; in my opinion, she cooks like a Michelin-star chef; and, by the way, she is fluent in Portuguese.

3) My wife and I have our own YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/@jarktv). It’s been a fun way to document our journey with Bryson, but we also use it as an opportunity to help others in their journey through pregnancy and parenting.

Helping others live healthier, happier lives is your job, but how is it personal?

I am dedicated to living a purposeful life and continually evolving into the best version of myself.  Nurturing my well-being involves several key ingredients: prioritizing a healthy diet, staying fit, maintaining strong faith (through prayer and serving others), fostering meaningful friendships and engaging with my community.

Things do happen that are out of your control, but if you are working on all of these areas, you have a better chance to overcome obstacles that come your way.

Of the enhancements you’ve instituted in your town position, what are three that are making a difference?

1) Actively participating in a community can positively affect one’s physical, mental and emotional health. Building community is a constant for us, from one of our newer programs, such as our monthly coffee and conversations program, where we invite residents to participate in an interactive presentation on a certain health-related topic, hosting family game nights, movie nights, the annual birthday party for the Mandel Recreation Center, or through continuing to improve upon events that we have offered for decades, such as the Spring Celebration.

2) The boutique fitness center, which boasts nearly 300 members during the (winter) season, speaks for itself. Our trainers’ personalized approach has been a big hit with our members. The center boasts state-of-the-art equipment and amenities. Complimentary services with an annual membership include in-body scan, compression therapy and Somadome meditation sessions.

3) Our team has done a great job expanding the youth sports offerings and participation for residents. Youth participation numbers have almost doubled in the last three years. Our most popular sports for resident youths are soccer, basketball, lacrosse and tennis.

How important is the mind-body connection? What’s its role at the Rec Center.

The mind, body and spirit connection is essential to overall health. When one aspect is out of balance, it inevitably affects the others … When they’re all aligned, you are hitting your apex — being the best version of yourself and giving your all.   

We offer a number of different programs at the Recreation Center to round out your overall wellness, from invigorating yoga and energizing Zumba sessions to soul-soothing sound baths and mindfulness programs. I welcome our residents to embrace these opportunities to nurture their mind, body and spirit.

What’s your and your wife Jenn’s favorite way to spend time with our 5-month-old son? How has being a father changed your life?

Any time spent with Bryson is the best. I love taking him everywhere we go. We love talking to him and telling him all that is going on; he’s very perceptive.

Watching him explore the world is our favorite — meeting new people and trying new foods, such as sweet potatoes, raspberries or avocados, and just watching his reaction is priceless.

Becoming a father has helped me better understand how much life is a precious miracle. When I see a kid come into the rec center, I now have a better understanding of what it took for him/her to get to that point in their life. It was a ton of work and a lot of love from those who raised them, and likely a lot of sleepless nights, too. Becoming a father has helped me become a better and more compassionate leader.

Best way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Our ideal Sunday afternoon is heading up to dog beach in Jupiter for a little R&R and playing bocce ball or beach volleyball. So far, Bryson loves the beach. When the beach day is over, we head home to prepare for the week and prep a nice home-cooked dinner with the freshest local ingredients we can find.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Palm Beach rec director Bresnahan finds happy life in health, new family