Christopher Riano

Christopher R. Riano is Executive Director of the Center for Civic Education and a Lecturer in Constitutional Law and Government at Columbia University. Riano has served as an Assistant Counsel for the Governor of New York, and as the first LGBTQ General Counsel to the New York State Liquor Authority. At the time he was the youngest General Counsel appointed at a New York state agency. He also serves as the Chairman of the LGBTQ People and the Law Committee for the New York State Bar Association.

From 2013 to 2015, as Chair of Columbia’s Rules of University Conduct Committee, Riano spearheaded the implementation of the most comprehensive changes to the rules on free speech and free expression at Columbia in over 30 years.

Previously, Riano was Partner and Head of the Strategic Practice Group at Drohan Lee LLP, and served as an Administrative Law Judge for New York State. He lives in New York, NY.