Chris Herrod’s Utah roots go deep, having moved to Provo with his family in 1972. He attended local public schools until age 16, when he was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to Brigham Young University. That year proved pivotal to his development, as he was also able to go to Austria with BYU’s Study Abroad Program. While there, he traveled with friends to East Germany, where he witnessed first-hand the impact of communism. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” says Chris. “It taught me how lucky we are to live in America and have the freedoms we have.”

Chris graduated from BYU with a double major in International Relations and Family Living and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Behavior. Afterward, both because he didn’t want to go immediately into “Corporate America” and he always had a fascination with U.S./U.S.S.R. relations, he took a teaching position at Kharkov National University in the Ukraine. As he stepped off the plane, he saw a beautiful young woman assigned by the university holding up a sign with his name on it. He married her five months later. (Chris says that having gone seven years at BYU without getting married, he needed a little extra help.) Alia Herrod is the love of Chris’ life, as are their five children (one of whom is named after Ronald Reagan). In their time together, Alia and Chris have experienced the immigration process from start to finish. This has given them a unique perspective on the illegal immigration debate.

Chris taught in Kiev, Ukraine for Utah Valley State College’s joint program. He still teaches occasionally at UVU as an adjunct faculty member in International Business and Political Science. He has served as a Utah State Representative for five years.