Chris Verdugo

Christopher Verdugo is a nonprofit arts leader with over 25 years of experience advancing culture, equity, and social change. Since 2016, he has served as CEO of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, where he has overseen a fivefold budget increase, led a transformative capital campaign, and opened the groundbreaking Chan National Queer Arts Center—the first facility of its kind dedicated to LGBTQ+ arts in the country. Under his leadership, SFGMC has expanded its national presence with activities such as the historic Lavender Pen Tour through the Deep South, using music to promote dialogue and inclusion.

Prior to SFGMC, Chris served as Executive Director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, where he doubled the organization’s budget and launched education programs in LA public schools. He sits on the Board of Directors for Chorus America and is frequently invited to speak on behalf of queer arts and cultural leadership. Chris’ work has included collaborations with the Human Rights Campaign, Equality California, GLAAD, Bienestar, and the Queer Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival.