As Vice President for Research, Christopher Jones directs RPA's economic, housing, transportation and urban development research. He is currently overseeing the collaborative Long Island 2035 initiative to develop a long-term vision and strategy for America's oldest postwar suburb, RPA's participation in New York City's PlaNYC initiative, research to support a new capital program for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and a regional housing initiative.

Previously, as RPA's Director of Economic Programs since 1994, Mr. Jones has led several multi-disciplinary initiatives, including an assessment of alternative economic futures for Lower Manhattan, an Access-To-Jobs plan for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, and the Competitive Region Initiative, which conducted a strategic audit of the tri-state region's economy and developed recommendations and actions strategies through several business and civic committees. He has authored several reports on regional development and workforce issues, including Fundamental Property Tax Reform for New Jersey, The Far West Side and the Region's Future Development Needs, Understanding Current Trends in the U.S. Labor Market, Low-Income Communities and the Changing Regional Economy, and the Economy and Workforce chapters of A Region At Risk: The Third Regional Plan for the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut Metropolitan Area.

Prior to joining RPA, Mr. Jones was the Special Assistant to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Development in New York City. Previously, he was Supervisor of Forecasting and Analysis for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. He has a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from Hunter College of the City University of New York.