Marketer · Cellist · Composer · Marathon Runner
When I take ownership of something, it gets done.
I help organizations build marketing that actually works: better systems, smarter campaigns, and the kind of follow-through that turns strategy into results. When I'm not doing that, I'm playing cello, writing contemporary classical music, chasing the Abbott World Marathon Majors, and playing a lot of pickleball.
I've spent 12+ years running marketing for a national educational business, across campaign strategy, paid media, CRM, automation, reporting, lifecycle email, landing pages, and cross-functional coordination. I wore a lot of hats and figured out what needed to happen.
What I'm best at is sitting at the intersection of strategy and execution. I understand the big picture well enough to set direction, and I care enough about the details to make sure everything actually gets done. I work well in environments where the problems are messy, the stakes are real, and someone needs to make sense of it all.
Platforms & tools
Disciplines
Development
Over 12 years I managed roughly $200K/month in paid media across Meta and Google, drove 200%+ ROI on top-performing campaigns, and built reporting systems that connected marketing activity directly to revenue. I reduced manual work by 30–40% through automation, improved engagement 25% through better segmentation, and maintained a contact database of 750,000+ people.
"When Chris took ownership of something, it happened. It did not matter how complicated the project became or what obstacles came up along the way — he worked through them and delivered. In my 40+ years in business, I've found that quality to be extremely rare."
— Jonathan Rozek, colleague of 3+ years
Before my marketing career, there was music. I started playing cello at six and never stopped. I went on to study cello and composition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Boston Conservatory, and I've spent years writing contemporary classical works. Jazz-inflected, rhythmically driven, occasionally loud.
Composition taught me how to think in systems. How individual parts connect to create something larger, how to spot what isn't working and fix it, and how to keep refining until it's right. Those instincts have shaped how I approach marketing more than any textbook could.
I've composed for the Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble, Ludovico Ensemble, and Boston String Players. My piece A Setting of Hung Liu's Peaches won the Thelma Thompson Composition Award from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a cellist I've performed with Boston New Music Initiative, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony, and Opera Carolina, among others.
I've written many pieces over the years. Four of them, below.
I never thought I'd run a marathon, or be capable of it. A friend qualified for the Boston Marathon and stayed at my house during the race. That was enough to get me started, and a few months later I ran my first race in Philadelphia. I did not train nearly enough for it. Eventually I made it to my first major, saw someone wearing a six star medal, and decided I wanted one too. Running a marathon takes the kind of sustained discipline and commitment that I recognize from years of playing the cello. You can't fake the preparation, and there are no shortcuts on race day. Ten marathons later I'm four of seven through the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the most prestigious road races in the world. Three to go, assuming they stop adding new ones.
4 of 7 majors completed · 10 marathons total
I'm based in Vermont and open to freelance projects, consulting engagements, and full-time roles. If you're looking for someone who can think strategically, build systems, run campaigns, and actually follow through, I'd be glad to talk.