Christopher Chavis '12

Chris is a dedicated public servant with a passion for the preservation and strengthening of Tribal sovereignty and ensuring access to justice for rural and Tribal communities. 

As the first person in his family to attend college, Chris recognized the value of a Dartmouth education and its transformative impact. Within a year of graduating, he was elected to the NAAAD Board of Directors, where he served from 2013-2020, ending his tenure as Co-President. While serving on the NAAAD Board, he also served as the NAAAD representative on the Dartmouth Club of Washington, DC board. After ending his term, Chris represented NAAAD on the Alumni Council where he served on the Service Committee. 

He has also worked as the Policy Director at the National Indian Health Board where his research and writing supported efforts to preserve Medicaid access for Tribal citizens and make COVID relief funds and resources available to Tribal nations. He is currently leading the policy drafting process within the Office of the Tribal Council at the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians where he focuses on the implementation of the Tribe’s new Constitution.

After graduating from Dartmouth with a double major in Native American Studies and Sociology modified with Public Policy, he completed a JD from Michigan State University and a MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is originally from Robeson County, North Carolina but lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California with his wife and young daughter. He is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.