Who Is Chris Van Hollen? Age, Biography and Wiki
Chris Van Hollen, born Christopher Van Hollen Jr. on January 10, 1959, is a prominent American politician, currently serving as a U.S. Senator from Maryland. As of 2025, he is 66 years old. He has had a distinguished career in politics, including his tenure in the House of Representatives before his election to the Senate in 2016. Known for his commitment to progressive issues, Van Hollen has focused on economic equity, health care reform, and climate change initiatives throughout his career.
| Occupation | Politician |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | Christopher Van Hollen Jr. January 10, 1959 |
| Age | 66 Years |
| Birth Place | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Horoscope | |
| Country | Pakistan |
Popularity
Chris Van Hollen's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Chris Van Hollen stands tall at an impressive height of approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm). While specific details about his weight are not publicly available, he maintains a healthy lifestyle that supports his active role in public service. He embodies a disciplined approach to health, which reflects in his appearance.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Chris Van Hollen is married to his longtime partner, Katherine Van Hollen. The couple has three children together, which showcases his commitment not only to his professional life but also to his family. While there have been no significant public disclosures about dating outside of his marriage, Van Hollen’s family life remains a great source of support and inspiration for him in his political endeavors.
His father was a Foreign Service officer who served as deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs (1969–1972) and U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives (1972–1976); his mother worked in the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department, where she served as chief of the intelligence bureau for South Asia.
He spent parts of his early life in Pakistan, Turkey, India, and Sri Lanka. He returned to the United States for his junior year of high school, and attended Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, where his grandfather had once taught.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Chris Van Hollen's estimated net worth is around $2 million, derived mainly from his political career and public speaking engagements. His salary as a U.S. Senator is approximately $174,000 annually. Additionally, his earlier career as a lawyer and his investments have contributed to his financial stability.
Because many federal employees live in his district, Van Hollen has worked on a number of issues relating to them. He supported pay parity in pay raises for civilian employees and introduced an amendment, which passed, to block attempts to outsource federal jobs.
Career, Business and Investments
Chris Van Hollen's career spans several decades in public service and law. Beginning with a degree in political science from Swarthmore College and a law degree from Georgetown University, he embarked on a political journey in the Maryland State Legislature. He served as a U.S. Representative from 2003 until 2017, before being elected to the Senate. Van Hollen has been a key figure in various committees, focusing on finance, banking, and foreign relations, and he is a respected advocate for progressive causes.
In addition to his political endeavors, he has engaged in various investments that align with his interests in sustainable development and technology, further diversifying his portfolio.
Van Hollen worked as a legislative assistant for defense and foreign policy to U.S. Senator Charles Mathias, a Republican from Maryland, from 1985 to 1987. He was also a staff member of the U.S.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (1987–1989), and a legislative advisor for federal affairs to Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer (1989–1991). He was admitted to the Maryland bar in 1990, and joined the law firm of Arent Fox.
Social Network
As a prominent public figure, Chris Van Hollen actively engages with his constituents via social media platforms. He uses Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to communicate his views, share important updates on legislation, and connect with voters. His online presence allows him to maintain an influential position in his community and beyond, helping foster dialogue on the issues that matter most to his constituents.
In 2007, Van Hollen became the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In this post, he was responsible for leading efforts to defend vulnerable Democrats and get more Democrats elected to Congress in 2008, which he did.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi created a new leadership post, Assistant to the Speaker, in 2006 so that Van Hollen could be present at all leadership meetings. He was elected ranking member on the Budget Committee on November 17, 2010.
Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to the 12-member bipartisan Committee on Deficit Reduction with a mandate for finding major budget reductions by late 2011. On October 17, 2013, Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to serve on the bicameral conference committee.
Education
Chris Van Hollen completed his undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College, graduating with a degree in political science. He then attended Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.). His educational background laid a strong foundation for his law career and his subsequent entry into politics, equipping him with the skills necessary for advocacy and governance.
He is an alumnus of the Kodaikanal International School (in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, India). In 1982, Van Hollen graduated from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in philosophy. He continued his studies at Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Public Policy concentrating in national security studies from the John F.
Kennedy School of Government in 1985. He then earned a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1990.
