Chris is the Director of Housing and Economic Development. He has been at NMCOG since October 2021. Chris oversees the housing and economic development team and provides direct technical assistance on housing, economic development, and land use projects. He also manages the District Local Technical Assistance program and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process. In the latter role, he serves as a liaison to the U.S. Economic Development Administration on behalf of the region's communities. Chris represents NMCOG on the Common Ground Development Corporation and the Greater Lowell MassHire Workforce Board.
Chris lives in Lowell with his partner-and often pet fancy rats-but was born near Buffalo, New York and grew up near Champaign, Illinois. He received a Master's in Regional Planning at Cornell University and has been in the planning field for over a decade. Prior to that, he was a substitute teacher and a drug and alcohol addiction recovery center technician. He co-founded the community-based organizations DIY Lowell and Lowell Votes, and serves on boards of Brush Art Gallery and DIY Lowell. Chris is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).