Biography of Chris Blake

Basically, I'm a communication caretaker.

Courses taught:

• College Writing I
• Creative Writing
• Magazine Article Writing
• Editing
• Advanced Studies Seminar
• Conflict and Peacemaking
• Critiquing Film
• Public Speaking  
• Interpersonal Communication

• B.A. 1977, California State Polytechnic University--San Luis Obispo
• M.A. 1980, Pacific Union College, Angwin, California

• Sponsor of Union College chapter of Amnesty International
• Co-sponsor of Peace and Social Justice Club
• Co-sponsor of the Squirreldance Film Festival 
• Leader in Something Else Sabbath School
• Leadership Committee
• Member of various community peacemaking groups

I taught high school for five years, was an editor/writer with Concerned Communications for three years, and served as the editor of Insight Magazine for eight years. In 1993 (last millennium), I began teaching at Union College.

• Created (in 1977) and wrote Bodywise, a children's health magazine
• Wrote seminars Learning to Love and Eight Days to Resolving Stress
• Edited Insight's Most Unforgettable Stories
• Edited A Reason to Believe
• Helped start Insight/Out, Giraffe News, and Expressions of Jesus prints
• Wrote Searching for a God to Love
• Co-wrote Re-invent Your Sabbath School
• Helped create The Front Porch magazine 
• Wrote Swimming Against the Current
• Collaborated with student on her book Honestly, I'm Struggling
• Hundreds of magazine articles and columns published over the years

• Associated Church Press national award (first place) for feature writing
• Associated Church Press national award (first place) for humor
• Evangelical Press Association national award (second place) for editorial writing
• Five Associated Church Press national awards for editing
• Zapara Excellence in Teaching Award
• Teacher of the Year at Union College
• Past president of Adventist English Association

Creative writing in its many forms. I've recently finished a film script and two more books are currently in the works.

Interpersonal communications, human rights, Christianity and culture, writing and editing.

Hobbies include mountain biking, disc golfing, writing, speaking, and incorrigible punnery (do not incorrige)

Yolanda and I were married in 1976. We co-wrote Re-invent Your Sabbath School. She has taught since 1993 in Lincoln Public Schools after teaching 10 years in Adventist schools. She recently completed a post-graduate degree in administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Nathan and his wife, Andrea, live in Takoma Park, Maryland. He's an attorney and she's a nurse practitioner--both are alumni of Union College and Yale University. Nathan currently works for the Department of Agriculture in the area of Food and Nutrition Services (helping hungry people) on the Washington mall (Smithsonian Metro stop) in an office that dwarfs his father's. 

Geoffrey and his wife, Natalie, live in San Diego, California. He's the youth and young adult pastor at Paradise Valley Adventist Church and sponsors many social justice efforts in his sun-drenched (and I mean drenched) community. Natalie is pursuing her Ph. D. in psychology at Alliant International University. Both are alumni of La Sierra University and Andrews University.