Christina has loved and participated in music since she was a little girl. In her professional life, she worked as a music therapist for over a decade following her training in music therapy at Utah State University under Dr. Elizabeth York and Dr. Bruce Saperston. She loves sharing the concept of Music therapy which is defined as using music as a tool to accomplish non-musical goals. This involves using music as a tool to treat a variety of conditions such as physical disabilities, social difficulties, communication impairments, and emotional conditions to name a few. Christina has worked with a large variety of clients in music therapy including Pre-K-12th grade students with severe to profound disabilities at Jordan Valley School, geriatric clients, acute hospital patients, inpatient psychiatric clients and hospice patients. She also taught for over five years at Challenger School as an after school and preschool teacher and assisted with the music classes. Teaching music is dear to her heart.

Christina has seen first-hand how music has a powerful, innate way of organizing and motivating the body and mind, and is naturally enjoyable. Using this together, clients will be intensely working on a goal by making music in a targeted way, and not even realize they are working! While at Jordan Valley, Christina had the opportunity to conduct research on the profound effect music can have in reducing seizures in people with epilepsy. Sharing this all starts with learning music skills though, and that is why she is honored to be a part of sharing the gift of music with the students in the GRIT program at Gifted Music School.

As is typical in the Music therapy field, Christina plays a variety ofinstruments and practices a variety of musical skill areas. She has played the piano since she was seven, and plays the guitar, flute, organ and ukulele.  She enjoys composing and arranging and has conducted her church choir for over five years. She and her family enjoy playing the piano together, and using music in various ways. She and her husband are happy members of the Choral Arts Society of Utah, conducted by Sterling Poulson. She was a lifelong SLC resident, but she and her husband now reside in Cache Valley, Utah with their four kids, her two parents, and a zoo of furry friends, all smiling and grateful for the beauty music brings to life.