Christopher Burns

Christopher Burns contributes over fifteen years of strategic and creative marketing experience to Elevate Marketing, with a strong focus on client relationships, engaging presentations, and business development.

Before his marketing career, Chris made history as the first openly gay coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, serving as Assistant Coach at Bryant University. His public coming out in 2015 garnered nationwide recognition and sparked significant conversations about inclusion within the sports community.

Chris’s groundbreaking story has been featured in major outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today , ESPN , and Outsports. Notably, Duke’s legendary Coach, Mike Krzyzewski, publicly commended Chris’s courage, recognizing it as a pivotal moment for college athletics.

Chris applies the strategic thinking, team leadership, and results-focused mindset developed during his coaching career directly to marketing strategy. Chris excels in building authentic relationships, understanding client objectives, and executing effective, winning strategies.