Chris Knape

Assistant Vice President, University Communications – Media and Public Relations
(616) 331-2953
[email protected] 

Chris Knape joined Grand Valley’s University Communications team in 2022 after three years running his own multi-client communications firm, K Corner Consulting. He previously served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for BarFly Ventures (HopCat, Stella’s Lounge, Grand Rapids Brewing Co.) and Senior Account Executive at SeyferthPR in Grand Rapids.

Prior to a career in public relations, Chris spent 17 years as a journalist in Michigan. His experience ranged from covering Van Buren County for the Kalamazoo Gazette to serving as Business Editor at The Grand Rapids Press/Mlive.com.

In 2025 he earned an MBA from GVSU's Seidman College of Business some 30 years after earning a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University. His awesome family includes his wife, Amy, sons Ben, Will and Tim, and Happy, a loyal mutt. In his free time he enjoys cruising around in his 1972 MGB and talking about classic video games, old and new stuff coming from Apple and electric vehicles. Chris is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).