My Inspiration

Raised in a single-parent home by my mother in East Oakland, CA, I am a living example of the positive effects that religious/extra-curricular (Community), educational (School), and familial (Parental) efforts can have on helping youth overcome the challenges that often mitigate the success of students in urban areas. My mother, Rosalyn Ware, instilled in me a regard for family, faith, education, and community.

My primary interest in education, business, and community and economic development evolved out of a commitment to improving the quality of life in urban, depressed, and distressed neighborhoods while a student majoring in Urban Planning at Morehouse College. Subsequently, I found a way to put my passion for community development, revitalization, and human development into action by engaging in educational and business practices that lead to the development of mental frameworks and internal assets to break the vicious circle of poverty and hopelessness that often plague inner cities.

Corporate Experience

I am a Business Systems & Solution Evangelist with a commitment to collaborating with organizational teams to build a critical mass of support to find strategic solutions to complex business and operational problems. As an IBM certified Data Science Professional and IBM certified AI Engineering Professional, my work is grounded in the synergy and intersection of leadership, data science, technology, collegiality, systems analysis, learning and development, project management, and continuous improvement. With an eclectic background and professional work experience, I have held positions with various corporate companies, R&D institutions, and government agencies such as Anderson Consulting, New York Life, Farmer’s Insurance Company, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), and the Atlanta Regional Planning Commission (ARC), Education Training & Research (ETR), and WestEd. My corporate experience with tech companies such as Google, Inc. and Facebook, Inc. as a Program Manager, Project Manager, and Researcher includes leveraging project management tools for launch management and release of new global products and developing systems, processes, and strategies that increase work efficiency, evaluate and improve stakeholder engagement, and streamline task-based workflows.

Educational Consulting

With over 25 years in education, I have consulted with K-12 schools, colleges, and various community-based organizations on implementing evidence/research-based best-practices for improving home-school-community partnerships, student learning / adult education, staff development, and mentoring and youth development outcomes.

K-12 and Post-Secondary Learning and Development

I also taught Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Physical Science to middle/high school and undergraduate students, modified and developed problem/project-based curricula for diverse learners, integrated educational technology / web-based learning, and differentiated instruction for youth and adults with diverse learning styles. I was a National Science Foundation TELS Fellow (Technology-Enhanced Learning in Science) while enrolled in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at Mills College where I investigated the role of instructional leadership, web-based learning, educational policy, and professional development in scaling up the NSF-sponsored TELS Center to make curricular technology for science education accessible to diverse learning populations.



Professional Background

Dr. Chris Harrison is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Summit Learning Institute, LLC. He and his wife have authored several articles, books, and courses. Harrison and his wife, Dr. NNeka Allen-Harrison, are co-founders of LIFTT Inc., a STEM education nonprofit that provides free, on-demand web-based learning experiences to youth and young adults. Harrison is also the Creator of Algebra Made Easy with Math Minutes Pro, a course with bite-sized, math teaching videos for youth and adults. Dr. Chris Harrison is a past member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and he is an alumnus of the Mills College Upward Bound Program (a TRIO Program), the Alive & Free—Omega Boys Club of San Francisco, and INROADS of San Francisco Bay Region.

Dr. Harrison holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Administration, two Master's degrees in Math/Science Education and Educational Leadership, a teaching certificate in Math/Science education all from the Mills College School of Education, and a certificate for Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He also earned a Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning from Morehouse College. Dr. Harrison enjoys fishing, camping, playing golf, tinkering around with Maker Ed. projects, and spending time with his family.