Chris Ankney

Co-Owner, Director of Operations

Chris is incredibly passionate about working with young adults. He brings a lot of humor and wisdom to his role as Director of Operations. His multifaceted background includes educational degrees in sustainable business and political science, a stint in the Marines, and a number of years as a wilderness therapy guide. He is also a passionate traveler who has explored many parts of the world, and a serious mountain biker and runner.

At Echo Springs

As Director of Operations, Chris Ankney’s job is to make sure all of the faculty members at Echo Springs have the tools they need to excel as they work with their students. Chris is the man behind the curtain, keeping everything running. He handles the company’s financials and works with co-owner John Winton to develop the company’s goals. He and John also continually update the programming to keep it fresh and relevant to Echo Springs students

“Every day I am blown away by our faculty here at Echo Springs. We have such a unique collection of personalities and backgrounds and such an incredible well of real world experience. I love how much each staff member believes in what we are doing, and I know this makes all the difference to our students. Watching our students grow into confident adults who look forward to their future is incredibly satisfying to me.”

Background/Experience

Chris brings an eclectic lifetime of experience to Echo Springs, which gives him a unique perspective. He earned his MBA with an emphasis in sustainable business from Marylhurst University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Montana State University. Chris served with the United States Marine Corps but eventually heeded a desire to “get paid to be outside.” Chris became a wilderness therapy guide and discovered that he had a natural ability to work with young people. Chris has also worked as a rainforest guide in Costa Rica and at a fitness-related internet startup company. (We said his background was eclectic!)

Interests

Chris’s passion for adventure has led him all around the world and onto the starting line of some crazy difficult races. Chris has traveled to more countries than he can count, including Peru, Panama, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and more. When he isn’t packing his bags, you can often find him running trails, mountain biking, or training for his next half Iron Man.

Fun Facts

Chris also participates in ultra-running races. The longest race he’s ever run is 100k (over 62 miles!).