Biography

Christopher is currently the founding partner of MakerGenes, a design firm that focuses on creativity, innovation, leadership and design thinking. From 1990-2015 he was the founder and CEO of Discovery Learning International. DLI is a leader in innovative tools for leadership, change and organization development. Chris also served as DLI's director of product development. In this role he created products such as Change Style Indicator, Influence Style Indicator, Discovery Leadership Profile, Decision Style Profile, Change Readiness Gauge and Paper Planes, Inc. Prior to DLI, Chris was a senior trainer at the Center for Creative Leadership and an associate professor of industrial management and engineering at N.C. A&T State University. In 2016 Chris completed the Professional Certification Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Stanford University. He also holds a B.S. degree in design, M.A. in the Interdisciplinary program for the study of technology, M.S. in industrial engineering and an Ed.D degree in leadership and organizational training from North Carolina State University. Chris is currently working to complete the 200-hour yoga teacher certification. In 2013 Chris was presented the Global HR Excellence Award for Outstanding Leadership by the World HRD Congress in Mumbai, India. He was also selected as the 2013 Executive of the Year for the Change Management Industry by Worldwide Who’s Who. As a Kellogg Fellow (1987-1990) Chris had the unique opportunity to explore change and innovation from a global perspective. He has served as chairperson of the board of the Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance and on the board of the Community Agroecology Network based in Santa Cruz, CA. At home in Greensboro, N.C. Chris is one of the founders of the Executive Directors Academy (EDA) which each year runs a ten-month leadership program for twelve executive directors of non-profit organizations in the region. For eight years he has coordinated the EDA curriculum and participated in the program delivery. He also serves on the boards of the Adult Center for Enrichment and Elsewhere, a living museum and artist residency with a mission of building a more collaborative culture in Greensboro and beyond. He has published numerous articles and five book chapters on leadership development, manufacturing management, change management and time-based innovation. His articles have been published in Chief Learning Officer, Leadership Excellence, Talent Management, Harvard Management Update, American Executive, T&D Journal, Work Force Training News, Training, Business Week Japan, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Inc.com, and Fortune. His book, Dangerous Opportunity was re-published in 2010. Chris lives with his wife, Robyn and dog Georgia. They have three children and four grandsons.