My name is Christine (Chris) Christensen, and I am the ATODA (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse) Program Coordinator and Community Liaison for the Fond du Lac School District. As part of this position, I am also the faculty advisor for STAAND (Students Taking Action Against Negative Decisions), a member of the Drug Free Communities Task Force of Fond du Lac County.

I grew up in Oshkosh and graduated from Oshkosh North High School in 1990. I have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from UW Oshkosh, an Associates Degree in Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counseling from Fox Valley Technical College - Appleton, and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling (K-12) from Lakeland College. I am also a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, and a Licensed School Counselor. I have remained in Oshkosh, and currently live there with my husband, Bob, who runs our family business; Dream Works Home Improvements, LLC, and our son Caleb, who is the light of my lifeJ.

Professionally, I have been working with adolescents and families since 1996, when I was hired by Lutheran Social Services to work in their adolescent, AODA group homes in Appleton. In 2003, after 7 ½ years of working in several positions at LSS including management, I was recruited to develop and facilitate a new, intensive, outpatient AODA treatment program for adolescents in Appleton called Options Treatment Programs, Inc. During my time at Options, I completed AODA assessments, and provided individual, group, and family counseling to adolescents between the ages of 13 to 18 struggling with drug abuse and addiction. And finally, prior to joining the Fond du Lac School District, I worked with ADVOCAP’s Fresh Start Program as the Case Manager. In that position, I assisted highly at risk youth between the ages of 17 and 24 with earning their High School Equivalency, developing independent living, work maturity, and leadership skills, and working through personal issues such as alcohol and other drug abuse and addiction, mental health issues, homelessness, single/teen/first time parenthood, criminal history/behaviors and more.

For the 2009-2010 school year, I will be available at Fond du Lac High School on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at Fondy Central on Wednesdays, and working with the Drug Free Communities Task Force on Mondays and Fridays.

Working with youth and families struggling with substance abuse issues has always been a sincere passion of mine and I consider myself lucky to have been able to make a career out of doing what I love. I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to do so as a staff member of the Fond du Lac School District!