Chris Praedel Email & Phone Number

Chris is the Executive Director of Community Homeworks, a nonprofit organization in Kalamazoo. CHW provides critical home repairs impacting health and safety to occupants and empowering homeowner education. Chris also serves as a City Commissioner on the 55th Kalamazoo City Commission. He was elected in 2019 to a four-year term. In his role with the city, he serves as commission liaison to the Planning Commission and Parks and Rec Advisory Board. He formedly served as liaison to the Pension Board and the Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study (KATS). He also served on the First Amendment Subcommittee and the City Attorney Search Subcommittee.He is also on the board of directors and 2021 campaign cabinet at the Kalamazoo Literacy Council. In addition, he is secretary and board member on the Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Institute (KLI) and treasurer for the 60th Michigan House District Service Office (DSO) and Community Services Charity (CSC).His past community involvement includes Kalamazoo Literacy Council, Michigan State Rep District Service Office and Community Service Charity, Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Institute, the Kalamazoo Promise 10th Anniversary Celebration, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Friends of WMU, and the City of Kalamazoo's Blue Ribbon Revenue Panel (May to December 2015).Community Presentations:Social Media University (Kalamazoo Chamber), Speaker (March 2012)SALP Leadership Conference (WMU), Keynote Speaker (August 2012)2013 Gender Leadership Summit (WMU), Speaker (January 2013)RHA Fall Leadership Expo (WMU), Keynote Speaker (September 2013)Order of Omega (Greek Honor Society, WMU), Keynote Speaker (February 2014)Under 40 Board Member (ONEplace), Panelist (February 2014)Social Media 103 Workshop (Kalamazoo Chamber), Panelist (February 2014)Wednesday Wakeup Blog, Guest Contributor (March 2014)Kzoo Connect Blog, Guest Contributor (May 2015)WMU Student Orientation, Keynote Speaker (2 sessions, June/July 2015)KVCC Leadership & Involvement Conference, Session Speaker (August 2015)InterCom Guest Presenter:"Customer Experience: Event Planning to Build Relationships," (Nov 2015)"Traveling with Mr. Lincoln," Portage Senior Center (February 2016)Legacy Banquet, Western Student Association (April 2016)"America’s Most Famous Rail Splitter: The Life of Abraham Lincoln", WMU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (Sept/Oct 2016)Keynote Speaker, Residence Hall Association Banquet, (April 2018)"Lincoln as a Hiring Manager: Building a Team of Rivals" DisruptHR (May 2019)

Listed skills include Public Relations, Social Media, Media Relations, Event Planning, and 44 others.