Lives in and grew up near village of Nelson, WI.  Previously in University Park, MD (Greater Washington DC area). 

New Book on Chris -  A Life in Pursuit of Thriving for All

This is story of and by Chris [Gary “Chris” Christopherson] and his lifelong pursuit of a thriving future – all thrive forever. It begins and ends in rural western Wisconsin. But so much happens, much in Washington (DC), in intervening 70+ years. Available in paperback and eBook via Amazon.com  or as a free download [PDF]

Founder

   Throughout career, Gary "Chris" Christopherson, Founder, has focused on strategic systems, management and performance and on national policy issues and health and human service systems, models and reform.

• Founder, "Thrive!", "viaFuture", "HealthePeople - Building a Healthy and Thriving Future", "Vulnerable (via)"

• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Department of Defense

• Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services

• Senior Fellow and Scholar-in-Residence, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences

• Senior Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration

• Associate Director, Presidential Personnel, Executive Office of the President, White House

• Chief Information Officer, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs

• Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, VA

• Senior Advisor for Force Health Protection, Assistant Secretary for Reserve Affairs, DoD

• Director of Health Legislation, Select Committee on Aging, U.S. House of Representatives

• Deputy Director, Quality Improvement Group, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, DHHS

• Senior Advisor to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, DoD

• Deputy Director, Municipal Health Services Program (funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and based at John Hopkins Medical Institutions)

• Director of Special Projects, Director of Municipal Health Services Program, Director of Mother and Infant Care Project, and Director of Project Life for City of Milwaukee Health Department

Bachelor’s in Political Science and Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Doctoral work at John Hopkins University School of Public Health.

Accomplishments

   During his career, he has had a wide range of accomplishments, including:

• Founded "Thrive!^®", "viaFuture", "Vulnerable", "HealthePeople^®"

• Developed national model for “reducing vulnerability and maximizing thriving”

• Led Strategic/Operational Plan for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, especially for vulnerable

• Developed “person-centered health” model used by VHA, CMS and IOM to better improve health

• Developed national “virtual health system” model for using info systems to support people’s health

• Led, with the Surgeons General, the re-design and re-engineering of the Military Health System

• Obtained Presidential approval for “force health protection” for vulnerable military service members

• Designed, developed and managed inner city health system in Milwaukee, WI

• Wrote legislation introduced to protect the un- and under insured and reform Medicare and Medicaid

• Developed and was lead staff for Congressional hearings on un-/underinsured, Alzheimer’s research and care, long term care, and health costs

• Helped lead effort to increase Alzheimer’s research funding many fold

• Developed “behavioral effectiveness model” for improving health for the most vulnerable

• Developed “care in the community” model for extending care beyond health facilities’ into the community