“What I love about assessment work is that people are never just one thing. I’m an experienced professional in this space, but I’m also an established New York drag queen. Everyone has a surprise if you dig a little.”

Since landing an entry-level position administering and scoring written tests after college, Chris has spent 15 years building his knowledge of talent assessment at the highest levels.

However, the backdrop to his progression has followed some unexpected detours. Though trained as a writer, his initial focus was short fiction and playwriting: outside the office, he has worked regularly as a pop culture blogger, produced a sold-out run of one of his one-act plays at the New York International Fringe Festival, and built an unexpected audience with his reviews of professional wrestling.

“Whether I’m creating a new character, recapping a reality TV star’s latest antics, or reviewing the credentials of a CEO candidate, it always comes down to understanding the person.” He knows the value of recognizing and capitalizing on untapped skills first-hand. His start in the field came about because a discerning management consultant hired him after observing his skills as a barista while in line for her morning coffee; she reasoned that the efficiency with which he managed all the moving parts of a busy coffee shop could easily transfer to a position overseeing multiple concurrent assessments. The example resonates with him to this day, reminding him never to take the data at face value.

Chris isn’t on Broadway (yet), but he hasn’t lost his theatrical flair. He is exceptional at merging his creative and technical abilities – and in the end, every project is just another chance for him to bring the data to life as a good story.