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/community relationships across the southeast, from his home in Atlanta. He also worked as a teacher and educational professional in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, GA. Chris served for eight years in the Army National Guard where he deployed internationally to Iraq in 2011. 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.