Chris is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy, LLC, in Washington, D.C. As the nation’s leading animal protection lobbyist, Chris has been involved in every federal animal legislative effort undertaken in the last 20 years, ranging from initiating and continuing to lead the national campaign against horse slaughter and stopping the sale and trade of shark fins to establishing a national sanctuary system for chimpanzees used in federal research programs. Chris has successfully worked with House and Senate Appropriations Committees on a variety of efforts to protect horses, lab animals and primates. In addition to his efforts on the federal level, Chris has worked with state legislatures on a variety of animal protection initiatives across the country. He successfully closed horse slaughter plants in Texas and did the first state bill to ban horse slaughter in Illinois as well as work on laws to improve the welfare of companion and farm animals.

Before entering the animal protection field, Chris was vice president of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm that represented clients from health care, education and defense. Prior to that, he worked on the staff of former Republican U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Connie Mack of Florida, covering issue areas that included animal protection and the environment, veterans affairs and small business.

After high school graduation Chris served for four years in the U.S. Army in West Germany and the Washington, D.C., area. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Bethany College in West Virginia and master’s degree in political science / international relations from Ohio University.

In his free time, Chris serves as vice-chair of Willie's Kids, a nonprofit humane education organization founded by the family of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. He is a member of the Global Ethics Committee at the Jane Goodall Institute, as well as an advisory board member for Predator Defense, a national nonprofit to protect native predators. He lives with Boudica, his rescue pit bull mix.