Chris Gilyard is a burn survivor of 33 years. After her burn injury at the age of 17 she continued on with her education and received a Master’s Degree in Human Development. It was 20 years post-injury when Chris’s brother also sustained a severe burn injury; while it was another tragic incident in the life of her and her family, it brought Chris back in touch with the burn community.

In 2001, Chris was offered a position at Regions Hospital Burn Center in St. Paul MN as a Burn Survivor Representative.  She worked there for eleven years, during which time she also earned a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy.  Chris is married with two teenage sons and lives in rural MN, and works part time in private practice as a licensed associate marriage and family therapist .