Many people join the military to "travel the world," but discover that the options usually involve very small towns instead of European destinations. Chris Tilghman however, has traveled quite a bit -- without the military.

Chris, who serves as the Operations Manager, The Helen Diller Center for Veterans of U.S. Military Service, was born in Mississippi and now lives in New Zealand. He’s lived in Connecticut, Alabama, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and California -- in that order, he said.

Chris' drink of choice is green tea, perhaps it's because he lives in New Zealand now. And he'll forgo the cereal for breakfast, opting for toast with butter and jam instead.

While Chris went to college at Harvard, his brother went to Vanderbilt University -- and was part of the ROTC program there. Chris' undergraduate studies included social studies and business at Harvard and then he completed a dual MBA and a Master's in Education at Stanford.

Stanford football holds a special place in his heart, even with the 19-hour time difference. Go Big Red!

As the operations manager, Chris spends a lot of time in "administrivia" making sure things move smoothly. He also works hard to build the team that serves the GGU military community and he maintains the high-quality culture of that team. 

"I love being part of a community of dedicated professionals at VVC - and building the team as we grow," he said. 

When he's not working, Chris can be found chasing his three boys, exercising, and reading.

"Gosh, there isn’t just one favorite book," Chris said. "I seem to re-read The Great Gatsby every 10 years or so, but I’m always into something. Most recently, I finished Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. Now, I’m reading Premonition by Michael Lewis."

Chris is also a New Zealand Surf Lifeguard, which may be the coolest title he has. He likes to spend time working on the skills that qualified him to be one and improve upon them.

In the Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts debate -- yes, they have those in New Zealand -- Chris picks the iced tea from Starbucks and a chocolate iced donut, hold the sprinkles from Dunkin'.

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