Influential Woman · Public Health
Christine Gnale Destephen
Program Manager, Clinical Supervisor, United We Rise
Boston, MA 02135
Her Story
About Christine
I'm currently a program manager for United We Rise, a non-profit collaborative program under the Multicultural AIDS Coalition, where I've been working in the public health field for a few years now. I'm definitely someone that's in the front seat for a lot of our different work groups. I travel extensively for this position, going to major HIV/AIDS conferences to raise brand visibility - I've been to New Orleans, Atlanta, Texas, Connecticut, Chicago, and Seattle for these conferences. Right now, I'm working on a Black Researcher's HIV Directory, which is kind of a hub for Black women who are working in the public health field, whether you're a teacher or a doctor - any type of publication or information you have for HIV/AIDS in the Black community. It's a very wide-span directory full of people all over the world, all over the country, and we usually get into contact with them at these conferences and through social media. I manage this project along with webinar series, yearly in-person events, and tracking research, which is another large component of my role. Additionally, I also have another position as a clinical supervisor.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Christine
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to advocacy. One of my favorite things about myself, and something I always find myself doing, is anywhere I can advocate for someone, I'll do it, especially if it's for a good cause, and it's for human rights, and it's for safety. That is my motivation - to ensure that people, regardless of anything discriminatory, have access and attention, and equality. I grew up in Kentucky, Rhode Island, and I just had certain adversities that kind of made me want to stand up for people in vulnerable situations. So I think that's kind of where that advocacy and speaking up and trying to make a change truly stems from.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My best advice for young women is that it's always good to have a goal, but always have a plan. I feel like, even myself, I was always like, I want to achieve this, I want to achieve this, and walking into some goals blindly is something you never want to do. So if you want to do something, create a timeline and create a plan, and remember, each step is still progress.
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