After moving to Portland from New York, Christopher first started working in support services seasonally while off-duty at Portland area farmers markets, before spending several years as a chocolatier and baker. A desire to reconnect with the community and to make a meaningful change in the lives of others has led him back to direct support services. Christopher believes every person is deserving of a dignified and rewarding life and strives to make that a possibility in spite of an often obdurate and stifling world. He has particular experience and empathy for individuals who have struggled with substance abuse and their mental health, and how those concerns can make just getting by a struggle. Finding ways to help people thrive in spite and in some ways because of those challenges is his goal in support. Additionally, he has found success with individuals looking to improve their physical well-being, in whatever capacity, and challenging one’s sense of physical limitations and embodiment can have a cascading effect on the way one interacts with the world. Outside of Human Connections, Christopher works with Urban Forestry and has a passion for understanding and improving the relationship between built and natural environments.