Mrs. Natale Christian has been with the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board for more than 27 years, where she served in a variety of Senior Director Positions. She served as the Deputy Executive Director prior to becoming the Executive Director in 2016. Mrs. Christian is the first female, and the first African-American, to serve as Executive Director of the agency.

The Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board (H-NNCSB) serves over 12,000 individuals annually, who are   impacted by mental illness, substance use disorder and developmental disabilities. Under her leadership, the agency has 700 employees, and a $73 million dollar budget.

Mrs. Christian received her BS degree in Psychology from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and earned her Master’s degree in Psychology from the New School for Social Research in New York, N.Y. in 1984.  As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she has over 40 years of experience in the Behavioral Health field.  She is a proven Leader and was appointed by Governor Mark Warner to the Virginia Board of Counseling in 2002, to the Board of Health Professions in 2003, and to the Governor’s Substance Abuse Council in 2020 by Governor Ralph Northam. Mrs. Christian is a 2016 Graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Political Leadership Program, and a 2019 graduate of CIVIC Leadership Institute.

Prior to moving to Virginia in 1996, Mrs. Christian lived in Germany for six years, where she provided mental health and substance abuse services to military families and served as a Regional Supervisor.  In addition, she has worked for the State of New Jersey where she managed a psychiatric unit at Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital for a number of years.

On a personal level, Mrs. Christian is a trustee at Gethsemane Baptist Church, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, and the Hampton NAACP. She is married to Mr. Robert Christian III, and they operate a 7-11 Franchise in the city of Hampton.  Mrs. Christian has a daughter, Semora, who is a graduate of the University of Virginia, and a current law school student. Mrs. Christian is grateful to her mentors and those who came before her, such as Chuck Hall, Patty Gilbertson, and Harriet Storm. She credits her success to God, family, and the support of the agency’s Board of Directors, Leadership Team, and hardworking staff. Her favorite Bible verse is Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given much is required,” as she has devoted her life to serving others.