Title:Hoya Highlight: Christopher Rutledge (SFS’89, Parent’23)

“Every great adventure you go on starts with saying the word yes.” – Christopher Rutledge

From his time studying at Georgetown University to his current work in the nonprofit sector, Christopher Rutledge (SFS’89, Parent’23) has devoted his life to service and social justice. With his over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit world, and “a firm belief that with a can-do attitude we can do anything,” Rutledge encompasses the Jesuit value of cura personalis—care for the whole person.

He uses his time and effort to help mitigate community suffering, working in refugee resettlement, criminal justice reform, and homelessness advocacy. With his Georgetown education and membership in Alpha Phi Omega (APO), the National Service Fraternity, he was able to apply his knowledge of global issues to his advocacy work.

Rutledge’s journey to Georgetown was driven by his passion for international affairs and humanities, leading him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Humanities at the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Although Rutledge was drawn to courses examining global issues from a humanitarian perspective, his involvement on campus went far beyond academics to hands-on volunteering.

Georgetown’s service fraternity, APO, expanded his passion and commitment to social justice. Rutledge also met his wife Noelle Kurtin (C‘90, Parent’23) and many of his close friends during his time in APO. Through APO, he engaged in service projects working at soup kitchens, tutoring children, and volunteering at women’s shelters—experiences that deeply influenced his career trajectory.

According to Rutledge, the most rewarding moment of his career was experiencing the reunification of Iraqi women and children who had been separated from their husbands. He felt incredibly touched by the powerful, transformative, and life changing nature of their reunification.

For the past eight years, Rutledge has served as the vice president of external affairs of Friendship Place, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness in Washington, DC. His work focuses on connecting unhoused individuals with landlords, managing transitional facilities, and advocating for employment programs.

“[Friendship Place is] a place where people can hear ‘yes’ where they’ve gotten used to ‘no,’” says Rutledge. His motto and work embodies the Jesuit principles of cura personalis and care for our common home.

During his career journey, Rutledge prided himself on his openness to take opportunities as they arise. According to Rutledge, “every great adventure you go on starts with saying the word yes” and getting out of your comfort zone. Rutledge credits this mindset to his Georgetown Jesuit education, which taught him to think critically.

The best career advice Rutledge ever received was “find a way to be helpful—find a way to be upbeat—it’s easy to get bogged down in doom scrolling and catastrophizing, but nothing has been solved by raising the temperature of room—you need a plan to be intelligent in approach.”