Born and raised in the Hutt Valley, Chris attended Hutt Valley Memorial College, where he was the Head Boy and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and Criminology at Victoria University. After completing his study, he worked in the industry training sector and worked at parliament, first as Senior Advisor to two Education Ministers and later in the office of former Prime Minister Helen Clark. He entered Parliament in 2008 and became the Spokesperson for Education in 2013. Today, Chris is MP for Remutaka, Minister of Education, Minister of Police, and Minister for the Public Service and is the Leader of the House.

An outdoor enthusiast, Chris is particularly keen on mountain biking, tramping, and swimming. He currently lives in Upper Hutt with his wife Jade and their children.