Chris Purdy is the Director of Veterans for American Ideals and Outreach at Human Rights First. He’s worked on the VFAI project first as a volunteer and then on staff since 2016. In his time as a volunteer, Chris worked hard to build veteran and community relationships across the southeast, from his home in Atlanta. He also worked as a teacher and educational professional in Rochester, N.Y, Washington, D.C., Barcelona, and Atlanta, G.A. Chris served for eight years in the Army National Guard where he deployed to Iraq in 2011 as part of a convoy escort team. Chris is a member of the Truman National Security Project, Georgia Forward, LEAD Atlanta, and is a member of the Welcome Council on Welcome.US. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the State University of New York College at Fredonia, a Master’s of Education, Inclusive Education from Nazareth College of Rochester, and a Master’s of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.