Christopher Calsyn became the first lay President of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation on July 1, 2023.  In that role, Chris serves as an ex officio voting member on the PECF Board of Trustees, as well as the governing boards of each of the institutions on the Cathedral Close.  

Among his duties as President, Chris is responsible for fostering collaboration and idea-sharing between and among the institutions and the Foundation on matters that affect the Close as a whole.  Chris came to the Foundation as its first Chief Legal Officer in November 2021, and continued to serve in that role on an interim basis after becoming President until September 18, 2023. 

Prior to his service to the Close, Chris practiced predominantly employment law, most recently as Senior Counsel for Employment at the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment, and before that as a Counsel and Associate at Crowell & Moring. 

Chris earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.  On the rare occasions he is not working, Chris is an unabashed foodie, competent woodworker, and avid reader of historical fiction and mystery novels.