Social Work & Teen Expertise

Christina directs the Start Strong Bronx program promoting healthy relationship skills to 11-to 14-year-olds and their families. This $1 million initiative is one of 11 sites across the country funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to prevent teen dating violence. She also played the lead role in designing and supervising a teen-led healthy relationship program at the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. Since many teens were already in unhealthy situations, she realized that the program needed to target middle school students before they found a romantic partner. Her article “Dangerous Dates” was published in Girls’ Life.