TEAM / Chris Dudley
Chris Dudley joined The Southern Group’s Tallahassee office in 2000 after serving for seven years at the highest levels of Florida government. Since that time, he has developed extensive expertise across a wide range of policy areas, including appropriations, education, economic and business development, energy, transportation, land use, technology, utilities, and regulated industries. His experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process and the ability to navigate complex policy environments effectively.
Chris began his career as a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives before joining the Florida Department of Education, where he served as a special assistant, deputy legislative director, and deputy chief of staff to Education Commissioner Frank Brogan. In 1998, he joined the Bush‑Brogan gubernatorial campaign and later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Jeb Bush, gaining firsthand experience in executive leadership and statewide policy implementation.
Widely recognized for his professional expertise, Chris is a founding member of the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists, was named Lobbyist of the Year by Influence Magazine, and has been recognized by Florida Trend as one of the 500 Most Influential Floridians for the past eight years. In 2019, he was honored to be recognized as a Pioneer Advocate for the Florida trucking industry.
A devoted community leader, Chris currently serves as a member and past chairman of the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority and the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services. He has also held leadership and advisory roles with the Maclay School Board of Trustees, the Hancock Whitney Bank Board of Directors, the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and the United States Tennis Association Player Development Council.
A native of Fort Myers, Florida, Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of South Florida, a Master of Legal Studies from Vanderbilt University College of Law, and completed the Applied Business Analytics executive program from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.
