Chris Hansen

Senator Chris Hansen represents Senate District 31 in the Colorado State Senate. He specializes in energy sector economics and data analytics, with 20+ years of experience in the global energy industry and five years in the Colorado General Assembly. He currently serves on the Joint Budget Committee, as well as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Prior to his work as an elected official, he was Senior Director at IHS Markit where he led a global portfolio of energy products, events and partnerships. Dr. Hansen holds a BSc in Nuclear Engineering from Kansas State University; a Graduate Diploma of Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; a Master of Science in Engineering Systems from MIT; and a PhD in Economic Geography from Oxford University. In addition to his current role in the state senate, Hansen serves as Chairman of the Board of Western Freedom, a non-profit dedicated to the integration of the power system and RTO in the West. He is also the Co-Founder and Director at the Colorado Energy & Water Institute, and as Founder of the Colorado Science and Engineering Policy Fellowship.