OCT 31, 2025
We’ve had the privilege of working alongside Christine Campbell since Grassroots Health’s foundation. As she transitions off the Board of Directors, we interviewed Christine to highlight her story and commemorate her time with the organization thus far. Her steady belief in people, her instinct to connect, and her ability to turn passion into change shaped countless lives locally in DC, and nationwide. But as Christine tells it, none of this started with a grand plan. It started with the act of noticing.
“I didn’t know I was an advocate.”
Christine remembers one of her early professional moments clearly. She described being in a team meeting at a residential program for people with traumatic brain injuries, where a client’s whole care team was there to create goals for them, but the client wasn’t there. “I was looking at Celeste [her sister, who was a team neuropsychologist] and said, well, why don’t we ask the person what they want to do? And we got push back. We were then told, ‘Oh, no, no, no, we have all the data. We can make the we set the goals, we’ve done the assessment, we know what they should work on.’” This was before trauma-informed care had become widespread practice, but Christine and her sister were mind-boggled. She believed then and believes now, “If you’re helping someone with their life, you ask them what they want to do.”
“I didn’t know I was an advocate. I didn’t know I was an activist. I was just working from the values that my parents had given me, that this is how you live your life.”
Starting as a residential counselor, Christine worked her way up through the management of housing programs and began to realize that she could “really work with people and change systems.” She decided to “give a name to her game” by earning her degree in Organizational Development, at which point she started working for Housing Works as the Director of National Advocacy and Organizing. Her job was to lead the Campaign to End AIDS, ensuring that people living with HIV had a voice in the work being done (more on this in the video recap of our interview, coming soon!). It was around this time that Christine was introduced to Tyler, the founder of Grassroots Health (formerly The Grassroot Project).
Christine’s partnership with GRH
Christine first met Tyler Spencer, known to many as “T-Spence,” when he walked into Christine’s office and shared his vision for Grassroots Health. At the time, Grassroots Health was still finding its footing as a young organization. Christine and her colleague, Larry Bryant, offered something invaluable: space to grow.
“They needed a home base,” she remembers. And by sharing this office space, leaders Tyler and Deidra Suber could benefit from Housing Works’ experience in HIV, so they moved in!
That simple act of generosity—offering an incubation space and encouragement—became the foundation of a lasting relationship. Christine admired Tyler’s authenticity and drive, and she recognized that his vision for Grassroots Health aligned with her own belief in community-driven change. From those early days of shared work and support, Christine became one of Grassroots Health’s earliest champions.
While on the Board of Directors, for a year as Vice Chair and then as Chair, Christine has strengthened and amplified a sustainable, yet flexible structure for the board. She emphasizes that the board’s role is to equip GRH with the resources and infrastructure to do what we want to do, and to “judiciously use [their] subject matter expertise to lift up the program.”
As Christine leaves the Board of Directors, she is encouraged about where the board is headed. She says Nick Turk, new Board Chair, and Dr. Tamara Henry (new Vice Chair), “are going to be phenomenal leaders.” Prior to our interview, she got the chance to speak with Nick and told him, “You bring skills, values, and passion to this work that I don’t even have,” affirming that he is in this role for a reason, and she’s excited to see where he and Dr. Henry lead the board and organization.
Reflections on struggle, progress, and values
During our conversation, Christine reflected on her favorite guiding quote by Frederick Douglass, and how she sees this relating to GRH:
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.”
Christine’s reaction was immediate: “This has been a really interesting year for Grassroots,” she said. A year ago, we were reliant on getting money from the government to do a lot of what we do, and with the changes in this current administration, “we were not going to be able to work from our value proposition if we still were taking government money.” We had to decide how we were going to stay true to our values to do what the young people here in DC need. “And we did it,” Christine says. “Right now, such a small amount of our budget is government funding.”
She also adds that one of the most beautiful aspects of this organization is the relationships developed between college athletes and middle school students. She explains that not only are students learning foundational health topics, but “they’re also getting the vision of a different way of being” from these athlete volunteers. She reiterates that Grassroots Health comes into schools and shows students how to dream differently, while still respecting their families and engaging their community.
Thank you, Christine
As we celebrate Christine’s next chapter, we also reflect with deep gratitude on the mark she’s left on Grassroots Health. From her early generosity that helped the organization get off the ground, to her leadership on our Board, thoughtful guidance on our 2025 strategic plan, and mentorship of our staff and athletes, Christine’s influence can be felt in every layer of our work. Her personal and professional successes have not only amplified her impact in the community but have also shaped the very growth and spirit of Grassroots Health itself.
We’re deeply grateful for Christine’s leadership, mentorship, and unwavering belief that every person deserves a fair chance to thrive. She reminds us that advocacy isn’t a title; it’s a practice, a commitment, and, above all, a way of life. Christine, thank you for being such an integral part of our story — your commitment and care are truly woven into the fabric of who we are.
