Raising the bar for drive, commitment and vision, Christopher is a 13-year board member at Mentis in Napa, a community-based provider of mental wellness services. He goes far beyond carrying out his expected duties by channeling his explosive energy to fuel events that grow the agency’s revenue and visibility.

Christopher first learned about Mentis in 2008, when he met the organization’s executive director during a winery luncheon. After a deep conversation about the stigma surrounding mental health, he wholeheartedly agreed to join the board.

His greatest impact on Mentis has been in masterminding the organization’s signature event, which has grown in the last decade from raising $20,000 to more than $225,000 today. A wine industry veteran, Christopher envisioned Blue Skies Ahead as an evening for donors to enjoy Napa Valley wines while raising money for affordable and accessible mental wellness services.

A tireless advocate for the agency, he continuously seeks opportunities to inform others about the impact of Mentis and the importance of reducing mental health stigma—and he never says no when he’s asked to help.

“I have volunteered on various levels for most of my life,” Christopher says, “working in soup kitchens, painting classrooms, weeding schoolyards, cleaning a family shelter, and leading board meetings. What I have always taken away is the sense of pride knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life.”