About Chris Hinds

Born in rural Texas the only child of a single mom, Chris attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, earning a degree in computer science. He went back to the Cox School of Business at SMU and earned an MBA in Finance and Strategy. He’s worked in software sales and in financial planning and analysis, including setting and managing the budget of a software company and using financial models to determine which projects to pursue.

He traveled to Colorado in January 2007 to help a friend with a technology startup and decided to stay after experiencing Colorado’s rugged, outdoor lifestyle. On August 26, 2008, Chris’ life changed fundamentally. After photographing the Democratic National Convention, Chris was involved in a motor vehicle crash which paralyzed him from the chest down.

He has testified in Denver and DC in front of legislative committees, been an invited speaker at seminars, and served as a subject matter expert on transportation, access, and disability topics.

In May 2018, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper signed the Chris Hinds Act into law. This new law closes loopholes to prevent the fraudulent use of disability parking and is the result of hundreds of hours of Chris’ research and advocacy. Since that time, he has provided subject matter expertise about this and other disability topics around the nation, including getting similar legislation to the Chris Hinds Act passed in other states.