Christine Bixiones, Special Initiatives Coordinator

Christine joined PAI as a Public Policy & Strategic Initiatives intern in July 2007, and began as Development's Special Initiatives Coordinator in October 2007.  She has over three years experience working on maternal and child health projects in developing countries, including service in the United States Peace Corps in Ecuador.  As a Rural Health Volunteer in a coastal Afro-Ecuadorian community, Christine worked with women and youth to increase knowledge about family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention, and nutrition. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and returned to Chapel Hill in 2005 to obtain her Masters of Public Health with a specialization in maternal and child health.  While a public health graduate student, Christine conducted qualitative research into the infant feeding practices of indigenous women in Guatemala. Christine is leading efforts to implement PAI's Study Tour program, which provides Study Tour participants with a behind-the-scenes look at how PAI's policy and advocacy work impacts the lives of women in the developing world.