Ground Broken on Dr. Donna M. Christian Christensen Health Center as Leaders Honor Her Lasting Legacy

The life, leadership, and lasting impact of Dr. Donna M. Christian Christensen took center stage Tuesday as territorial officials, healthcare leaders, and community figures gathered to officially break ground on the new health center that will bear her name, marking a pivotal moment in St. Croix’s public health future.

The ceremony, while focused on the forward-looking facility, opened with recognition of the legacy it replaces. Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion paid tribute to Charles Harewood, whose namesake memorial complex served St. Croix for nearly 75 years. The Charles Harewood Memorial Complex, she said, has been “a symbol of service, care and community for countless families on St. Croix,” and its enduring influence continues to shape healthcare delivery on the island. “It is upon that foundation that we now move forward,” Encarnacion said.

Commissioner Encarnacion also reflected on Dr. Christensen’s leadership style during her tenure as a public health strategist, describing a “soft, strategic approach” that ensured her ideas were heard and her guidance effectively delivered. That approach, she noted, defined Dr. Christensen’s decades of service “as a physician, a public health leader, and the first woman to serve the Virgin Islands as Delegate to Congress.”

As a congresswoman, Encarnacion said, “Dr. Christiansen advanced transformative national conversations on health, equity, minority health, and the needs of the U.S. territories,” adding that her advocacy brought increased federal attention and resources to issues central to the territory’s wellbeing.