About Chris Waugh
Experienced Leadership. Practical Results.
For more than 30 years, I’ve helped organizations regain momentum when important priorities stall. As a fractional executive, I don’t work from the sidelines. I step into organizations as part of the leadership team, providing experienced executive leadership when growth, change, leadership transitions, or competing priorities stretch internal capacity.
Whether serving as a fractional executive, filling an interim leadership role, or leading a strategic initiative, my goal is the same: help organizations move important work forward.
A Different Kind of Leadership
Some organizations need advice.
Others need someone who can step in, earn trust quickly, and help lead the work.
That’s where I focus.
I become part of the team—bringing executive experience, structure, accountability, and a calm perspective to complex situations until momentum has been restored.
What Clients Value
Clients often describe my work as:
- A steady, experienced leadership presence
- A trusted and confidential sounding board
- Clarity during complex decisions
- Practical solutions that create forward movement
- Someone who quickly becomes part of the team
Experience That Translates Across Industries
Every organization is different, but leadership challenges are remarkably similar.
Throughout my career, I’ve partnered with businesses, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, financial organizations, public agencies, and community organizations across the Pacific Northwest.
Representative organizations include:
- Georgia-Pacific
- Chinook Winds Casino
- Weyerhaeuser
- Umpqua Bank
- Oregon Alliance of YMCAs
- Samaritan Pacific Community Hospital Foundation
- Vintage Underground
Leadership In Action
Leadership isn’t something I only talk about—it’s something I’ve lived.
Since joining Rotary in 1987, I’ve served in numerous leadership roles. Most recently, as District Governor for Rotary District 5110, I worked alongside leaders across Oregon and Northern California in an organization of nearly 2,700 members across 69 clubs.
That experience reinforced something I’ve learned throughout my career: leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about helping people stay aligned, navigate complexity, and keep moving forward—even when demands exceed available capacity.
Why the Aviation Connection?
Throughout much of my leadership career, I spent my weekends flying hang gliders.
One of the first lessons every pilot learns is that turbulence isn’t always something to avoid. Often, it’s where the lift is.
Organizations aren’t all that different.
Growth, change, uncertainty, and transition often create turbulence. They also create opportunity. Leaders who recognize the lift within that turbulence—and have the capacity to act on it—can regain momentum and move farther than they thought possible.
That’s why “Find the Lift” has become more than a flying lesson. It’s the philosophy behind how I work with organizations every day.
Because even in turbulence, there’s lift to be found.
Ready to Turn Priorities into Progress?
The best place to start is a conversation.
We’ll talk about your organization, the priorities that matter most, and whether bringing in a fractional executive makes sense. If there’s a good fit, I’ll recommend the level of support that will create the greatest impact. If not, I’ll tell you that, too.