Mel, our family is heartbroken by Chris’s passing. I’ve known Chris since her days coaching the Takoma Soccer Yellow team. I served as the girls’ team coordinator for many years, and she was always one of the kindest coaches—dedicated, positive, supportive, and truly devoted to both the coaches and the players.

My older daughter, Zaia, overlapped with Skye on the United team and now at PPA. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help. We are thinking of you.

Melissa,

My heart breaks for you, Zoe, and Skye. She loved you all so much, and, as others have said, whenever our discussions would venture into talking about our families, Chris would light up.

One of the most rewarding experiences of my career was working with Chris on a vision for online communications and engagement for union members, then seeing her make that vision come true. Her work was exponential - enabling thousands of other people to work toward their own visions of a better future for all of us.

Chris was a warrior for justice at a levels - unfairness outraged her and she never stopped trying to make a difference. I always came away from our conversations with something to think about.

Love to all of you who were as lucky as I was to have counted Chris as your friend. I will miss her deeply.

Beth

Melissa and Skye, 

We are so saddened to learn of Chris' passing. Her energy made us feel warmly welcomed to the Takoma United team, and the more we got to know her, the more our love for her and your family grew.  I experienced her as so earnest and deeply passionate about justice, which flowed during many conversations on the sidelines of games. We will keep her spirit in our memories and actions and look forward to Grace and Lily continuing to spend time with Skye. 

With love, 

The Phelans

To Chris' family,

We've never met, but I worked in the same department as Chris for about a year at the AFL-CIO more than two years ago. I was shocked and heartbroken to hear of her passing.

Even though she and I didn't keep in touch, I remember Chris well. She had such an unbelievably vibrant personality and was always quick with a joke. She liked to laugh and keep all of us on our toes. I remember how courageous she was during the bargaining of our successor contract and how she stood up in the middle of an all staff meeting to say her piece. She didn't hesitate for even a moment before doing it - that was just who she was. She had a very strong sense of right and wrong and would always fight for what was right.

I remember how much she loved Catan - she taught me how to play and helped me learn how to strategize. I remember her bickering with the other players over resources and playfully bargaining with us. It was a whole different game when you played with Chris.

I remember that even though I was the youngest in the department, she never treated me with anything but respect, and also balanced that with knowing when to tell me to step back and learn something. I remember that she wasn’t afraid to disagree with anybody but that she always made sure you were okay afterwards. I remember she loved her family more than anything. I learned that she recently became a big fan of Chappell Roan, and I'm sad that she and I will never have the chance to talk about her music together.

May her memory be a blessing. She will be deeply missed by more people than she ever possibly could have known.

- Elyse

Without Chris there would certainly be no Action Network.

She and I spent hours in windowless rooms at the AFL's headquarters figuring out the hard problems we needed to solve to enable the AFL and its affiliates to adopt Action Network. I was there so much she got me a badge for the building. It was never a sure thing that we were going to be able to figure it all out, and if the AFL hadn't invested in Action Network, we would not be here today. But thanks to her tireless creativity and crystal clear knowledge of how unions used digital tools in the real world, we did figure it out.

Chris and I continued working together for many years, doing the hard, often thankless work of migrating and training affiliates as they adopted digital tools and leveled up their programs. Her dedication to the union movement was evident in everything she did. Her work improved the ability of unions to function, and materially affected the working people we all serve.

I will always remember her, and be thankful for her partnership in this work. She made a difference, both in my life and in the lives of people all over this country. May her memory be a blessing to everyone who knew her.