Christine (Chris) Gray, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Research Professor. She is an epidemiologist whose work explores the social and environmental drivers of mental health and applies implementation science to expand access to evidence-based interventions. Her research spans the United States, Kenya, China, and Sri Lanka, where she collaborates with local partners to understand and respond to the mental health impacts of climate change.

Chris currently leads the SAGE project, which builds on the BASIC trial in Kenya to study how lay counselors sustain trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy interventions for children. She also co-leads a Bass Connections project and contributes to international collaborations examining how communities experience and adapt to the mental health consequences of climate change.

Her daily work includes teaching epidemiology and biostatistics, mentoring students, analyzing data, and developing grant proposals. Guided by fairness and justice, Chris seeks to advance equitable, community-driven health solutions. She recharges through hiking, rowing, and spending time with family and friends.

Current, Future, Prior Projects

Mental health among orphaned children in low-resource settings

• SAGE: Sustaining and generalizing interventions for children – Role: PI, K01, NIMH
• BASIC: Task sharing mental health care in low-resource settings – Role: Investigator (PI: Dorsey, Whetten), R01, NIMH
• POFO: Positive outcomes for orphans longitudinal cohort – Role: Investigator (MPI: Whetten, Ostermann), NICHD

Sampling of and mental health among sexual and gender minorities

• SMILE: SGM mental health in low- and middle-income countries – Role: Investigator (MPI: Whetten, LeGrand), NIMH
• DGHI SGM Pilot: Pilot testing respondent driven sampling among SGM – Role: co-PI (David Eagle), DGHI
• RAMP UP: Rurality, Mental health, and Policy: Uncovering Potential interventions to improve sexual and gender minority health  – Role: MPI (Dirk Davis), Pending R21, NIMHD
• MORSE: Methods for sampling SGM – Role: M-PI (David Eagle), Re-submission Pending R03, NIMH

Distribution of environmental quality as related to health and mental health

• SEPHE: Collaborative on Social Epidemiology for Health and Place Equity – Role: Co-Lead (Emily D’Agostino), Provost’s Office seed funding
• EQI, Redlining, and Gentrification: Social-environmental quality and human health; historical redlining in health outcomes today – Collaborator with EPA