Senate Committee Honors Dr. Donna Christensen's Legacy and Proposes Facility Renaming

The Senate Committee on Government Operations, Veteran Affairs and Consumer Protection was filled with admiring, awestruck testimony regarding the life’s work of Dr. Donna Marie Christian-Christensen, the former doctor, public health, and political leader.

Several of the testifiers expressed some form of the above sentiment when recalling all the work Dr. Christensen has done over a career that has spanned decades, work that has brought her to what is called the legacy firsts – the first female physician to serve in Congress, the first woman to represent the Virgin Islands in Congress, and the first female territorial representative to serve in Congress, among others.

The committee was considering Bill 35-0029, introduced by Senator Novelle Francis Jr. and co-sponsored by Sen. Angel Bolques. Jr. and several other lawmakers. The legislation not only seeks to commend Dr. Christensen, but to memorialize her service to the community by renaming the new facility erected subsequent to the demolition of the Charles Harwood Memorial Complex in her honor.

“I certainly had the opportunity as the son of a public health nurse to see Dr. Christensen in action many times,” said Sen. Francis. “Throughout her medical and professional political career, she was acutely aware of the challenges experienced by our community in accessing maternal and child health, and this informed her in terms of advocacy in Congress."

Justa Encarnacion, current commissioner of the Department of Health, spoke warmly about working with the then-physician. “During her tenure as assistant commissioner at the Emergency Department of Health, Dr. Christensen has implemented an innovative program aimed at nurturing high school students with aspirations of pursuing medical or healthcare profession training,” she noted.