"My guiding principle in life, instilled in me by my parents, has been to seek to create a positive impact on my community."
Chris' Journey
Christopher Wyche was born in Boston, but has spent the majority of his adult life in the Greater Columbus area. He is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and received his B.A in Economics Management. With a passion for non-profits, Chris started his career with United Ways of New England organizing national fundraising campaigns to support nonprofit organizations across the country. During his time at United Way, Chris conducted donor analysis for the United Way of the Greater Seacoast and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley merger.
At the beginning of the great recession, Chris made the decision to move back to the Columbus area to be closer to loved ones. He began working at City Year Columbus as a Development Manager, but quickly took on the additional responsibilities in Government Affairs, Marketing and Communications, Human Resources, and Media Relations. During his time at City Year, Chris helped to launch the Diplomas Now School Turnaround Model - a fully integrated approach that improves a school’s curriculum and instruction, while providing students with the right support at the right time. The partnership consisted of Talent Development Secondary (a program of Johns Hopkins University), City Year, and Communities in Schools.
In 2014, Chris joined AT&T Ohio as the Director of External Affairs initially covering northwest Ohio building relationships with Mayors, City Managers, Council Members and County Commissioners to address telecommunications policy issues. Chris would go on to cover central and northeastern Ohio territory for the company managing AT&T’s local philanthropic budget. Over his time at AT&T, Chris has negotiated multi million dollar partnerships, organized youth development initiatives to reshape our workforce, and worked to address the digital divide and homework gap.
Family
Chris grew up in Mattapan a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts and has experienced many of the challenges we face as a city firsthand. Chris was able to navigate those challenges with the support of his working class parents, and the village of family and friends who surrounded them. In addition to the two kids of their own, Chris' parents also served as foster parents to 12 children in need over his lifetime.
Chris lives in the Brookside Village community in Columbus' Far North Crown District with his wife Julia, their children Lulu Elizabeth and Benjamin Elijah, and the family dog Bo. Chris' oldest daughter - Mariah Simone Wyche, currently lives with her mother and stepfather in the Junction City, Kansas area.
"My oldest was born my sophomore year in college, her life gave me the motivation to keep going when I was struggling."
Community Service
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Central State University
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Past Chair, Institutional Advancement Committee
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Board Member
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City Year Columbus
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Past Chair, Gov't and Community Affairs Committee
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Past Advisory Board Member
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Columbus Young Professionals Club
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Past Community Impact Committee Member
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Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA
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Chair, Advisory Board
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Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce
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Board Member
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New Leaders Council - Columbus Chapter
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Past Alumni Committee Member
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Immediate Past Co-Director
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Chair, Advancement Committee
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Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
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Past Gov't Affairs Committee Member
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