Ridge serves as dean of Piedmont Virginia Community College’s two Community Self-Sufficiency Programs (Network2Work @PVCC and TJACE @PVCC) which utilize multiple resources in our community to identify and support people being left behind in our economy, and provides the training and supports they need to find quality employment in our community. 

He graduated from the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia School of Law. Ridge spent 10 years on Capitol Hill serving as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher and chief policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Charles S. Robb of Virginia. In 2011, Ridge published the Orange Dot Report which analyzed the economic struggles facing a considerable portion of Charlottesville’s families and suggested solutions. Ridge founded and directs the Charlottesville Works Initiative, a partnership between the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce and Piedmont Virginia Community College, to implement those solutions.