Chris Beyer

Chris Beyer
Search Institute Trainer
Home State: Colorado

Professional Expertise

Chris Beyer is an educator, community organizer, and trainer with expertise in the areas of:

  • Developmental Assets
  • Community mobilization for positive youth development
  • Student assistance programs
  • Safe and Drug Free Schools, Prevention
  • Linking Developmental Assets to Positive Behavioral Support (PBS)

Contributions to Search Institute

As a contract trainer for Search Institute, Beyer serves as a public speaker, trainer, and training program designer for organizations and communities interested in building Developmental Assets for and with youth in schools, starting community-wide asset-building initiatives, or creating community change on behalf of youth. She consulted with Search Institute in the development of the education sector trainings Building Developmental Assets in School Communities and Deepening Developmental Assets in School Communities. She was also a contributor to the Search Institute resources Great Places to Learn, You Have to Live It, and Pass It On.

Awards and Honors

  • Colorado Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division Annual Prevention Award
  • Nominee for Colorado Springs Community Asset Builder

Professional History

Beyer’s career in public education spanned 31 years. She taught for 21 years in high school and elementary school as a health and physical educator and coach.

Beyer has a K–12 administrative certificate and has served as an elementary-level administrator.

For 10 years, Beyer was the Student Assistance Program and Safe & Drug Free Schools Coordinator (Title IV) for Colorado Springs School District 11. In this role, she coordinated substance and violence prevention and education.

In Beyer’s role as Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinator, she oversaw the administration of Search Institute’s Attitudes and Behaviors survey to over 10,000 6th- to 12th-graders in her school district. The data gathered has helped comprise Search’s body of longitudinal research.

Professional Experience

  • President of the Reduce Adolescent Pregnancy (RAP) Coalition
  • Member of National Association of Student Assistance Professionals
  • Past member of the El Paso County Health Department’s Strategic Planning Advisory Committee
  • Member of Phi Delta Kappa
  • Board member of Colorado Springs Assets for Youth

Community Activities

Beyer is considered one of the “founding mothers” of Colorado Springs Assets for Youth. She served on the executive council and as a chairperson of the speakers committee. Beyer has been committed to sharing the asset message since 1996.

For many years, Beyer has presented the Developmental Assets to student teachers at Colorado College as part of their student teaching seminar program.

Beyer has expertise presenting to the following education and public sector groups:

  • counselors, social workers, alternative educators, special education teachers;
  • administrators, Safe & Drug Free Schools coordinators, preschool teachers, first-year teachers, parents/PTAs, college students, student teachers, Title I parents, campus security officers;
  • parks and recreation, city council, mentors, firefighters (as mentors), senior citizens.

Education

  • B.A. in education, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado
  • M.A. Adams State College, Alamosa, Colorado
  • Certification for K–12 Administration, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado

Outside Interests

Beyer loves the outdoors. She enjoys cycling, hiking, gardening, her mountain cabin, and travel. She has climbed eight of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks, rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and walked the 500-mile El Camino in Spain. The year after her retirement, she rode a bicycle from California to Florida—a distance of 3,150 miles. Beyer considers herself fortunate to be part of a team that has provided dental services for children in Argentina, Senegal, and Madagascar. She has seen firsthand that children are our most important investment in the future.

Request Chris Beyer for the following trainings by calling Search Institute Training at 800-294-4322 (outside the United States, dial 207-642-6270).

  • Introducing Developmental Assets
  • Everyone’s an Asset Builder
  • Building Developmental Assets in School Communities
  • Building Developmental Assets in School Communities Training of Trainers
  • Deepening Asset Building in School Communities
  • Powerful Teaching