J. Christopher Herold was born in Reno, Nevada on May 30, 1948. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and the University of California at Santa Barbara with a Masters in Public Administration. In 1975 he began working for the National Park Service in San Francisco, California
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In 1981 he became the Director of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which encompasses many of San Francisco's most famous landmarks including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point, and Crissy Field. While there he oversaw the installation of a security system that has been credited with keeping tourists safe from violent crime, saving lives. He left his post as Director of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1992 to pursue a career in public service.
In 1993 he was appointed Director of the United States Mint by United States President Bill Clinton. In 1997 Herold resigned from his position as Director of the United States Mint after accepting an appointment as Assistant Administrator for Management for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2002 Herold left USAID to continue his work in international development and humanitarian assistance.
He is a member of several charitable organizations including: The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), The Commonwealth Club, The Aspen Institute, The Brookings Institution and the Board of Directors for numerous non-profit organizations focused on international development and human rights issues.