Chris Piper is the Principal and Co-Founder of Advance Elections, an election administration consulting firm with particular emphasis on election security. Through Advance Elections, he works with state and local officials to strengthen election systems, improve communications, and build organizational capacity to meet the demands of today’s election environment. Chris also teaches classes in strategic leadership, drawing on his extensive experience in public service and executive management.
Prior to launching Advance Elections, Chris served as the Executive Director of the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to elevating public understanding of politics and government. From 2018 to 2022, he was Virginia’s chief election official and Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections, where he focused on election security, uniform application of state laws and regulations, and defending the integrity of elections during a period of heightened national scrutiny. While Commissioner, Chris served on multiple national boards, including the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the Electronic Registration and Information Center (ERIC), and as Chair of the Election Assistance Commission’s Standards Board.
Chris began his career after earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University. His professional path has included roles as manager of a federal PAC, leader of the Virginia State Board of Elections’ Campaign Finance Division, political compliance consultant at a multinational law firm, and head of the Election Services Division at the State Board of Elections. In 2014, he was appointed as Virginia’s first executive director of the Virginia Conflict of Interests and Ethics Advisory Council.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors and is chair of the Governance Committee for the Blue Sky Fund, a youth development nonprofit providing transformational outdoor experiences for Richmond-area youth. Chris is also a member of the Election Community Network, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Elections, and an advisory board member for the Election Official Legal Defense Network.