Cristina leads policy strategy and partnerships at the Coalition for Metabolic Health and Baszucki Group, working to translate emerging metabolic science into policy opportunities and strategic initiatives that advance metabolic approaches in chronic disease, including serious mental illness. She brings expertise in biomedical and public health policy analysis, strategic planning, program evaluation, operations, and communications.
Most recently, Cristina served as Chief of Staff to the Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the NIH. Prior to that, she worked at NINDS as a legislative liaison and policy analyst.
Cristina has also worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, focusing on Medicare payment policy, and at President Obama’s Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, where she addressed neuroethical questions related to advancements in neuroscience research and technology. In addition, she has consulted for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on pricing and market access strategies.
Cristina earned a PhD in the History of Health Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco, where she studied the history of neurophysiology. She also holds an MS in Neurosciences from the University of California, San Diego, and a BA in the Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania.
