About

Believe & Grow:

Believe and Grow advances empowering beliefs, encourages showing up with intention and provides pathways for personal growth.

The Founder:

Chris Barry grew up in Tacoma Washington, played football and earned his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, and is now living and working in Central Illinois. He empowers learners to leverage their education to create opportunities to achieve their life goals. His work in higher education supports the success of college students, especially those who are underprivileged and historically underrepresented in higher education.

Chris is an advocate for personal growth and student success. He has developed expertise in program design, strength and fitness training, outcomes assessment, transition programs, launching targeted initiatives, leadership, small and large group programming, fundraising, multimedia production, coordinating retention services, personal coaching, spiritual development and strategic planning.

Chris has worked in the non-profit and pubic sector as an administrator, teacher, minister, fitness and strength coach and student affairs professional. He has earned all conference accolades as a student-athlete, a national award for a diversity center and a regional award for student affairs. His work has been featured at several national conferences.

For over 10 years, Chris has engaged thousands of people through support services, college courses, strength programs, fitness challenges, cultural events, community service projects and religious programs, ceremonies and services. He has catalyzed movements of personal development in the areas of transition, self-authorship, morality, scholarship, social responsibility, college preparation, financial literacy and community engagement.