Her Story
About Cristina
Cristina Christensen is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with a supervision designation who has spent nearly nine years building a career at the crossroads of behavioral health, criminal justice, and community collaboration in Ohio. Rather than pursuing the nursing path she originally considered, a career aptitude assessment during her community college years pointed her toward social work, a field that has allowed her to pair direct client care with systemic advocacy. She currently serves as SUD Clinical Manager at Personal Growth Counseling Services and previously spent over four years as Criminal Justice Program Supervisor at the Family Resource Center of Northwest Ohio, where she credits the organization's mentorship culture and investment in continuing education with accelerating her growth as a clinician and public speaker.
Much of Christensen's professional identity is rooted in her advocacy for deflection models, an approach that redirects individuals struggling with addiction and mental illness toward treatment rather than incarceration. Her partnerships with the Center for Health and Justice and TASC (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities) in Chicago have taken her across the country, including presentations delivered alongside the CDC on strategies to reduce overdose deaths, and implementation work in communities such as Findlay, Ohio. Beyond her clinical role, she has served as an adjunct professor at Bowling Green State University, sits on the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board, and is preparing to launch a new chapter of her career focused on consulting, reentry planning, and authoring a book that will document lessons learned from deflection programs nationwide.
Christensen's motivation traces back to a desire to leave behind stronger, more compassionate systems for the next generation, particularly her young son. She is an outspoken advocate for the voices of young women in behavioral health and criminal justice work, encouraging them to trust their instincts and recognize their value even in the earliest stages of their careers. Her educational foundation includes a Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Bowling Green State University, and in recognition of her contributions to the field, she was selected as one of Ohio's Influential Women for 2026.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cristina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a deep desire to help build a world that's better than the one I grew up in — one my son can look at and be proud of. I want him to see me succeed and to grow up in systems that treat people with understanding, because I've seen how even a small setback can derail someone's mental health or recovery journey. I also thrive because this work is a community effort; I get to sit at the table and bring people together toward shared solutions.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd tell young women never to underestimate the impact of their voice, even early in their career. Expertise is built through curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to keep learning — not through waiting until you feel you know enough. Women bring real value to this work from the start, and we shouldn't let self-doubt stifle our creativity. We deserve a seat at the table.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I face is funding uncertainty — grant-dependent programs can lose momentum or push practitioners away from critical community work when support isn't guaranteed. Systemically, I also see the ongoing criminalization of addiction as a major obstacle, and I believe we need to keep shifting toward treatment-first approaches. At the same time, I see real opportunity in expanding deflection models, deepening community collaboration, and advancing program development and policy change that reduce incarceration and improve long-term outcomes.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Compassion guides everything I do. I care deeply about creating systems where people feel truly understood, and I value community collaboration as the foundation for lasting change. Psychological safety — especially for women in this field — matters a great deal to me, as does meeting people exactly where they are rather than imposing expectations on them.
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