Chris didn’t dream of being an instructional designer when they grew up. First it was scientist, then comedian, then video game developer, then teacher. By the time they graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Japanese and a minor in Women’s Studies, they still didn’t really know. They knew that they loved teaching but not in a school setting. So what did that leave?

After researching that question, they found that teachers often make good financial advisors. You sit down with people and discuss complicated topics in a way that clients can understand and you have the chance to genuinely help them. With this in mind, Chris found an apprenticeship program at a financial services firm.

Now with D.A. Davidson, Chris started learning about the financial services industry while teaching financial advisors different tools. And while this was initially a way for apprentices to learn the ropes, Chris found that they liked teaching advisors more than they liked the prospect of becoming one.

Over their six years with D.A. Davidson, Chris became an exceptional trainer. They provided impromptu training with advisors over the phone, they traveled to branch offices to offer training in person, they developed written training materials for the firm, and they conducted webinars with at times over 200 attendees.

When they’re not teaching, Chris enjoys rock climbing, playing euchre, and paddling with the Club Sake dragon boat club out on Lake Washington.