An experienced global commerce leader, Christopher Carlson, or Chris, joined Progress Partners as an executive in residence in 2023. As an advisor, Chris Carlson provides Progress Partners leadership with insight into media, advertising, and technology industry events and transactions.

Previously, Mr. Carlson spent more than four years as the chief operating officer of Digital Trends Media Group, formerly a single-site consumer electronics publisher that he developed into the world's largest independent product review media company.

Meanwhile, his board appointments include Candid Wholesale and InVivo Biosystems, Inc. Mr. Carlson leads the latter as an advisor and board director. He has served as an advisory board member and company mentor at RAIN and FertiLab since 2015, among other board positions.

Mr. Carlson studied English and financial economics as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts in English. A few of his interests range from collecting art and rare books to writing and listening to music.

Chris Carlson