Chris Merkle

Manager, Programs, Projects, & Partnerships

Chris Merkle is an accomplished operations, project management, and program development professional with more than a decade of experience leading high-impact projects and strategic initiatives across the nonprofit, corporate, and higher education sectors. As Manager, Programs, Projects, & Partnerships at MovementForward, Inc. (MFI), Chris oversees special projects, national initiatives, and organizational partnerships that advance the organization’s mission and support its continued growth.

A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Chris brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, business operations, organizational systems, stakeholder engagement, and the execution of complex initiatives. He is recognized for translating vision into action by developing innovative programs, building collaborative partnerships, and delivering measurable results.

Prior to joining MFI, Chris served in varied professional leadership roles in which he managed multimillion-dollar budgets, negotiated major contracts, led cross-functional teams, and successfully planned and executed large-scale programs, projects, and events.

He holds a Master of Arts from American University and a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College. His work is characterized by creativity, innovation, disciplined execution, and intellectual rigor, all of which help strengthen MovementForward’s efforts across the country.