Life & Work with Mark Schweikert of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Schweikert.

Hi Mark, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2017, while working off duty police security at Arizona’s largest comic book convention, I became part of a team that helped prevent a mass casualty event and stopped an assassination attempt targeting Jason David Frank, best known as the Green Ranger from Power Rangers.

What followed was an unexpected wave of kindness. Artists and pop culture figures donated memorabilia to help raise funds for a charity of my choice. Unsure what to do with the growing collection, my friend and eventual co founder asked a simple question: “Why not start your own comic con?”

That question became the foundation for Superhero Saturday.

Over time, Jason and I became friends, and he remained one of the event’s strongest supporters. Just weeks before his passing, I saw him again. His final words to me were, “I love you. Thank you for saving my life.” That moment continues to guide me.

Superhero Saturday was never about celebrity or scale. It was about community, service, and creating a space where people could come together for something bigger than themselves. Through the event, we have raised thousands of dollars for PPSLA Charities, which supports law enforcement officers in crisis, and Childhelp, an organization dedicated to helping child victims of abuse.

Now in its seventh year, Superhero Saturday has grown into an annual celebration of cosplay, pop culture, and purpose, and a reminder that meaningful work often starts with a simple idea and a lot of heart.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running a nonprofit event is rewarding, but it is also demanding. Growth brings strain on time, resources, and relationships. Finding dependable volunteers, maintaining long term sponsorships, and balancing expansion with authenticity are constant challenges.

Supporting a public safety focused mission can also be complicated in a polarized environment. I believe community safety is a shared responsibility, and that belief requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to keep showing up even when the work feels heavy.

What keeps me going is the people. The volunteers, partners, and community members who step up when it matters most.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have served as a Phoenix Police Officer for more than 28 years, a career that shaped how I lead, plan, and serve. Those same skills are what I bring to Superhero Saturday.

As co founder and chairman of Superhero Saturday, I oversee the planning and execution of a large scale nonprofit event that brings together vendors, artists, performers, volunteers, sponsors, and community partners. The work includes fundraising, sponsor relationships, logistics, volunteer coordination, programming, and year round relationship building.

Superhero Saturday benefits PPSLA Charities, which supports law enforcement officers in crisis, and Childhelp, an organization dedicated to helping child victims of abuse. Each year, the event grows in both size and impact, requiring careful balance between expansion and preserving the community focused culture that makes it special.

Alongside this work, I continue my career with the Phoenix Police Department. I joined the U.S. Army after high school to prepare for the responsibility of the profession and entered the department at age 21. Over the years, I have served in patrol, as a School Resource Officer, Field Training Officer, Gang Enforcement Detective, Sergeant, and Lieutenant.

In 2019, I took command of the Transit Unit, which was a historically underperforming team at the time. Together, we led a full turnaround, moving from the brink of elimination to being named the 2024 Police Chief’s Unit of the Year. Today, I oversee the operational component of arrestee processing in Central Booking.

I am also a volunteer board member of the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association, a role I have held since 2016.

I take pride in my career, but I believe the true measure of leadership is the success of the people around you.

One of my proudest moments came when I organized a kindergarten graduation for the daughter of an officer who had been killed in the line of duty just days earlier. A police honor cordon for an event like that was unheard of, and there were challenges balancing public interest with internal resistance. In the end, the community came together and we created a moment of dignity, care, and normalcy for a grieving family. It became one of the department’s first viral moments and reinforced for me that leadership is about compassion, presence, and doing what is right, even when it is difficult.

Whether in uniform or through Superhero Saturday, my work is centered on service, accountability, and building systems that allow people and communities to succeed.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I draw inspiration from the men and women I serve alongside every day. I am also grateful to a mentor who prefers to remain anonymous, someone who made me not just a better officer, but a better person.

My mother set the standard for my life. She is of Japanese descent, born just days after the second atomic bomb was dropped on Japan, and grew up with very little. She went on to become a world class volleyball athlete, earning Gold Cup trophies, an Olympic silver medal, and countless other honors.

From her, I learned resilience, humility, and how to push forward when things are hard. Those lessons shape how I lead, how I serve, and why Superhero Saturday continues year after year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://superherosaturday.org
• Instagram: superhero_saturday_ppsla
• Facebook: superherosaturdayPHX