Nina Christie
Assistant Professor of Psychological Science Loyola Marymount University
- Los Angeles CA
Hi! I study substance use, harm reduction, and social connection with an applied focus on policy evaluation. Let's connect!
Biography
Dr. Nina C. Christie is a psychology and public health researcher whose work evaluates how harm reduction practices, recovery supports, and substance use patterns are shaped by social connection and policy environments.
She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from UCLA and completed a dual-degree program at USC, receiving both a Master of Public Health in health policy and a Ph.D. in psychology. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions (CASAA), where she worked on projects related to engagement in 12-step programs, statewide cannabis policy, and the intersection of chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
Dr. Christie is also committed to science communication and policy translation. She co-authored a national guide on implementing harm reduction in higher education with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, has published widely for public audiences, and was a TEDxABQ speaker in September 2025. She served as an inaugural Media Fellow with the Scholars Strategy Network, helping connect academic research to policymakers, advocates, and journalists.
At the heart of her work is a belief in the power of social connection to improve health and equity. Most recently, Nina served as a AAAS Legislative Branch Science and Technology Policy Fellow for Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota from 2025-2026. During her time working as a scientist in Congress, Nina brought her behavioral health and public health expertise to federal policy conversations on substance use prevention and treatment, mental health, and health equity, to support building stronger, healthier communities.
Now, as an Assistant Professor at Loyola Marymount University, Nina looks forward to engaging with students, colleagues, and the broader community to evaluate how to leverage social connections for health.
She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from UCLA and completed a dual-degree program at USC, receiving both a Master of Public Health in health policy and a Ph.D. in psychology. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions (CASAA), where she worked on projects related to engagement in 12-step programs, statewide cannabis policy, and the intersection of chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
Dr. Christie is also committed to science communication and policy translation. She co-authored a national guide on implementing harm reduction in higher education with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, has published widely for public audiences, and was a TEDxABQ speaker in September 2025. She served as an inaugural Media Fellow with the Scholars Strategy Network, helping connect academic research to policymakers, advocates, and journalists.
At the heart of her work is a belief in the power of social connection to improve health and equity. Most recently, Nina served as a AAAS Legislative Branch Science and Technology Policy Fellow for Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota from 2025-2026. During her time working as a scientist in Congress, Nina brought her behavioral health and public health expertise to federal policy conversations on substance use prevention and treatment, mental health, and health equity, to support building stronger, healthier communities.
Now, as an Assistant Professor at Loyola Marymount University, Nina looks forward to engaging with students, colleagues, and the broader community to evaluate how to leverage social connections for health.
