Chris Peace
Member, The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership
State Advisory Board
Christopher K. Peace represents the Virginia House of Delegates' 97th District and serves on the prominent Courts of Justice, Health Welfare and Institutions, Science and Technology, and Finance Committees.
Now in his third term, Peace was named the State Police Association and Virginia Sheriff's Association legislative Rookie of the Year in 2006. The Virginia Assisted Living Association (2007), the Virginia Council for Private Education and the Virginia Optometric Association (2009) have honored Peace for his legislative service.
Speaker of the House William J. Howell likewise recognized Peace's leadership skills and appointed him to statewide boards important to his district: State Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education, Human Services & Public Safety Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC), Human Services & Welfare committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Bicentennial of War of 1812 Commission, Virginia Commission on Youth and Virginia Council of Indians. He is also a member of several legislative groups namely the Conservative Caucus, Rural Caucus and Tourism Caucus.
A Hanover native, Peace has always been an active member of his community. He founded a local political action committee looking to unite county residents through increased civic participation, and has served others through these statewide and community groups: Metro Richmond Habitat for Humanity; the Virginia Council of Human Rights; Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership Richmond Regional Board; Hanover Republican Committee; Heritage and History of Hanover County, Inc.; Hanover Association of Businesses/Chamber of Commerce; Hanover Safe Place; Hanover Ruritan Club; Mechanicsville Businessmen's Association; New Kent and Caroline Chambers of Commerce; Sons of the American Revolution; Tad DuPriest Foundation for the Association for the Support of Children with Cancer; and Fraternal Lodge No. 168. Peace was recently named Chairman of the Advisory Council for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.
Prior to his public service in the legislature, Peace worked at McGuire Woods Consulting, a national public affairs and public relations firm. Peace began his public affairs career by working as a legislative aide to then-Delegate Eric Cantor (now 7th District U.S. Congressman), and as a law clerk for the Richmond City Attorney and Virginia's Attorney General. Currently Peace represents Smithfield Foods, Inc. and is a member of the bar association of the District of Columbia. He is an adjunct professor of legal studies at Virginia Commonwealth University's Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Locally, he serves as the executive director of Historic Polegreen Church Foundation, a historic preservation non-profit foundation.
Peace graduated from St. Christopher's School, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hampden-Sydney College and earned his law degree from the University of Richmond. In 2005, Style Weekly magazine named Peace one of the "Top 40 Under 40. ' He is an alumnus of the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program. Sorensen presented Peace its 2008 alumni award for "Expression of Ideals."
Biographical notes provided by the office of Chris Peace.
