Chris’s upbringing was shaped by international experiences that deeply influenced his worldview. As a child, he lived in Sri Lanka and Cameroon while his stepfather served as a U.S. Diplomat and Peace Corps Country Director. Attending school alongside children from around the world revealed educational gaps that challenged him—and motivated him. A framed report card from that time serves as a personal reminder of his belief: it’s not where you start, but where you finish.
While living in West Africa, Chris witnessed stark contrasts in wealth and opportunity and participated in service efforts focused on clean water, medicine, and education. These experiences instilled in him a lifelong commitment to community service, positive youth development, and equitable access to education.
At 18, Chris enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving honorably both domestically and abroad. After returning to the U.S., he pursued higher education, earning degrees in sociology and criminal justice while continuing his military service. His leadership and discipline later inspired him to found The Boot Camp Guy, a military-style fitness company that helped fund future mission-driven work.
Chris went on to found The Tee Shirt Store, a fully operational custom apparel printing company designed as a real-world learning platform for youth entrepreneurship. After more than a decade of development, the platform now empowers students in grades 6–12 and young adults up to age 25 to build, manage, and grow their own custom apparel businesses.
As Director of the Education With a Profit Foundation, Chris leads the organization’s mission to combine education with real-life application. Through hands-on entrepreneurship, technology, and mentorship, the Foundation equips young people with the skills, confidence, and opportunity to earn while they learn—proving that entrepreneurship isn’t just a future goal, but a present-day possibility.
Chris’s guiding philosophy is simple yet powerful: everyone has an ark to build. With patience, purpose, and persistence, meaningful impact is always within reach.
