[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E939-E940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING DR. CORA L.E. CHRISTIAN

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2014

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend 
a medical colleague who has been a trailblazer for over 30 years, in 
the area of health care in my district of the U.S. Virgin Islands, in 
the wider Caribbean and in the national arena as well.
  Dr. Cora L.E. Christian was the first native female to become a 
medical doctor in the Virgin Islands and this Saturday, June 14th, she 
will be honored for a lifetime of dedicated public service, by the 
Virgin Islands Medical Institute, (VIMI), a group that she founded in 
1977 to improve the quality of health care for all territorial 
residents. Today I join them in paying tribute to a fellow physician, 
administrator and public servant for her vision, courage and diligence 
as she worked to make a difference in the lives of the people of our 
community.
  Dr. Christian completed her medical studies at Thomas Jefferson 
University in Philadelphia, her residency in Family Practice at Howard 
University Medical Center and her Masters in Public Health at Johns 
Hopkins University.
  Upon completion of her studies, she returned to the Virgin Islands to 
serve the economically depressed area of Frederiksted, St. Croix. 
There, she served as emergency room physician, and Physician in Charge 
of the Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic. In 1977, she became Assistant 
Commissioner of Health for the Virgin Islands, and served in that 
capacity for over 15 years, spanning three political administrations. 
She was in charge of health services on the island of St. Croix as well 
as having territory wide responsibility for ambulatory

[[Page E940]]

care, chronic diseases, immunization, maternal and child health, public 
health laboratories, neighborhood health centers, the sexually 
transmitted disease program, the HIV program and family planning 
programs. Dr. Cora Christian is credited with the development of the 
Frederiksted Health Center, both its renovations from the old hospital 
into a functioning health center and its staffing with qualified 
professionals. She also spearheaded and managed a regional system of 
preventive and health promotion activities for the territory.
  In 1991, Dr. Cora Christian became the Medical Director of HOVENSA, 
one of the largest oil refineries in the Western Hemisphere located on 
St. Croix and served as the Chief Medical Consultant until its closure 
in 2012. She is board certified in forensic medicine and is President 
of the V.I. Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She 
has been President, Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the Virgin Islands 
Medical Society, past Public Relations Chair of Project Impact--St. 
Croix, Board Member of the St. Croix chapter of the American Cancer 
Society and Board Member of the Interfaith Coalition. Dr. Christian 
chaired the Foundation of the University of the Virgin Islands for 10 
years, and is currently still a Board Member. Dr. Christian continues 
to lead the Virgin Islands Medical Institute, which brings over $3 
million to the territory with each contract cycle.
  On the national level, Dr. Christian has served as Vice-Speaker and 
member of the Board of Directors for the American Health Quality 
Association, the national quality improvement organization. She was 
consultant to the NY/VI AIDS Education and Training Center and was past 
Chair of the by-laws committee and member of the Commission on 
Government Advocacy for the American Academy of Family Physicians 
(AAFP). She is delegate to the Congress of Delegates of AAFP and 
Sergeant of Arms for the Congress. In 2013, she received the AAFP 
Humanitarian Award for outstanding community service. From 2004 to 
2010, she served on the National AARP Board overseeing over 36 million 
members. She was a member of the Health Insurance Trust and numerous 
committees of the AARP National Board.
  Dr. Christian has also served as President of the Caribbean Studies 
Association, an association of scholars from across the Caribbean, 
Latin America, the United States, Canada and Europe that studies 
Caribbean issues. She is well published and a frequent presenter and 
public speaker.
  Dr. Christian has been honored as the Virgin Islands Physician of the 
Year in 2003, the VIMI Physician for Community Service in 1997, and 
Best Doctor in American in 1999. She is a Paul Harris Fellow.
  Dr. Christian is married to Dr. Simon B. Jones-Hendrickson, 
Ambassador from St. Kitts & Nevis Federation to CARICOM and Latin 
America and she has two children, Nesha, a practicing attorney and 
Marcus, a biologist and entrepreneur.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I ask the 113th Congress 
to join me in congratulating Dr. Christian for her tireless work on 
behalf of the health and well being of the people of the Virgin 
Islands.

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