I am Chris, a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago, with a concentration in mental health and an expected graduation date in Spring 2026. I completed my undergraduate studies at Chicago State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. I have over 25 years of leadership, crisis response, and peer support experience as both an U.S. Navy veteran and a current lieutenant on the fire department. I am passionate about mental health support for first responders and their families.

My mission in my work is to proactively support first responders and their families. I provide crisis intervention support to ensure that they are holistically well by helping them create a balance between physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual wellness. I am an advocate for men’s mental health with an emphasis on removing the stigma associated with mental health treatment.

In my first internship, I worked with an organization doing emergency room intake assessments of clients experiencing mental health crisis, and I moved into doing community support services. In these positions I was able to bridge clients with services to assist them in meeting their daily needs and living independently.