Chris started his career as a Coast Guard officer, graduating from the Academy in 2008 with a degree in Marine and Environmental Sciences. During his time in the Coast Guard, Chris served as the science officer aboard polar class icebreakers, and the operations officer aboard buoy tenders. He earned five arctic service medals and was the task force leader for dozens of federal assets during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. After completing his Ph.D. in Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Chris taught marine science and geographic information systems at the US Coast Guard Academy and did extensive oceanographic research for the Office of Naval Research. In 2018, Chris left active duty to cofound Applied Ocean Sciences LLC, a small oceanographic research firm, at which he currently serves as Vice President and CTO. Chris also cofounded a small sustainable agriculture research firm named Pallas LLC, which operates a working farm and does research into permaculture and regenerative agriculture.  

Chris is passionate about issues related to ocean conservation and sustainable agriculture. He lives on a small farm near Washington, DC with his fiancée.