Christopher MacLean

MPA Fellows, Class of 2027

Owner, Open Tuesday Wines

Christopher MacLean grew up in McLean, Virginia, and graduated from Langley High School. In 1996, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Connecticut. That same year, Chris was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.

During his 20-year Air Force career, Chris served in South Korea, California, The Netherlands, Germany, Afghanistan, Qatar, Washington, D.C., and Rome, Italy. In 2007, he earned a master’s degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Chris retired from the Air Force in 2017 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

In 2019, Chris founded Open Tuesday Wines, an online Italian wine company.

From Sept 2023 to June 2025, Chris was a high school teacher in Massachusetts, serving as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at Springfield Central High School. (JROTC)

Chris is married to Sarah Bignami. Their son, Matthew Andrea MacLean, was born in Milan in 2019. Chris is a rewards travel enthusiast, a lifelong wine lover, and an avid UConn sports fan.