The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network introduces you to our “Young Professional of the Month,” Christina Baker. Each month the CYPN Steering Committee recommends a young professional in the community it thinks readers would enjoy getting to know better.
How old are you? 38
Where do you live? Deerfield
Where do you currently work? Elysian Technology
Where did you go to school? Southern New Hampshire University
What do you like to do for fun? Mostly running and food (keep reading and you’ll see!)
Favorite places to be? On the boat with my family – Squam Lake is a favorite!
Last book you’ve read? Currently reading “Happier” by Tal Ben-Shahar. The book is based on the class he taught at Harvard that ended up being their most popular class in the history of the college. It’s all about defining what happiness means to you and how to create a lasting sense of happiness in your life.
How did you find out about CYPN and how has it benefited your business or you personally? Through my work with the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce I was introduced to CYPN. CYPN has benefited me in so many ways, but the ones I find most meaningful are the lifelong friendships I’ve made and the inspiration CYPN gave me for New Hampshire Young Veterans Network, a networking group with a young veteran focus.
What organizations are you involved with? I’m the co-founder and executive director of New Hampshire Young Veterans Network, a new YP group that focuses on young veterans transitioning out of service and coming back to the Granite State. NHYVN was established with the goal of helping them build their professional networks and find community faster.
What’s your favorite restaurant in Concord? Tuckers for breakfast after a morning run and The Barley House for the Hangover burger aka the greatest burger of our time.
What’s your favorite place to go in Concord? I love the farmers market in the summer after a morning run.
What has been your favorite CYPN event so far? There’s been so many great CYPN events, truly an event for everyone, but the 10th birthday party will always hold a special place in my heart.
Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself!
I’m not a New Hampshire native! I grew up in upstate New York but came here for college and fell in love. New Hampshire is my home and I’ll be the first to sing her praises!
I was a military spouse for seven years. I loved being a part of the milspouse community and it taught me so much about the importance of volunteerism, community and leadership. But it’s not an easy gig, so when my husband and I started NHYVN it was extremely important to me that we be welcoming of military spouses as well as veterans.
About CYPN: Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) is a professional and personal development initiative of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce that promotes the growth of Capital Region professionals in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
CYPN will co-host a free event with The Nature Conservancy and Stay Work Play NH, “Energy 101 for Young Professionals” on Tuesday, March 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Lithermans Limited. Come for networking, light appetizers and a complimentary beer!
And Dining Out/Smart Snacks, the third of six topics in CYPN’s complimentary Wellness Series presented in partnership with the Concord Hospital Center for Health Promotion, will teach attendees how to make healthy meal choices on Wednesday, March 25, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Health Promotion, 49 S. Main St., in Concord. A complimentary Lunch & Learn series is also offered throughout the year.
For more information and event registration visit ConcordNHChamber.com/CYPN. Email programs@ concordnhchamber.com to sign up for future CYPN event updates.
