Dr. Chris’ background is unusual. No, really, it is - and that’s why, more often than not, she has been effective in helping professionals who are trying to make sense of their working lives.

Dr. Chris earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island). She worked in tech for approximately 15 years, and held positions including:

• Senior product line manager at Intel, where she was one of two people managing the launch of the company’s flagship microprocessor, which made US$1 billion in its first year on the market

• Engineering project manager, synchronizing a team of 75 people spread across 2 U.S. states; the team built a non-stop computer with firmware and storage optimization for data analytics

• Research Program Manager at Microsoft Research, where she was one of the 400 most senior women at Microsoft. She was responsible for technology transfer between Microsoft Research and the server product teams (SQL Server, Sharepoint, Exchange, and eCommerce software)

However, as was and is the case for many women in tech, she encountered notable gender discrimination, which culminated with being blacklisted at her last job in tech. It was enough to significantly affect her mental health, so she sought therapy. The process helped her decide it was time to change careers rather than deal with the pain of failing to rise above the glass ceiling.

Since Plan A failed, she spent six months in deep reflection figuring out Plan B. So, in mid-life, she did the most unexpected thing possible: she made a career path U-turn and started work on her doctorate. She earned her Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D.). from Antioch University - Seattle, and is now a Licensed Psychologist in Washington State (USA). Her training taught her how to both work as a clinical psychologist (therapist) and as a forensic psychologist (assisting attorneys on civil cases, criminal cases, and military courts martial).

It did not take long for Dr. Chris to receive regular referrals for therapy and coaching for skilled professionals working in fields such as the computer industry, medical research, healthcare, and architecture. This includes C-suite executives. These white-collar workers make up the majority of the clients in her practice.

Elements of Dr. Chris’ first career continue to impact parts of her second career. Her 2012 dissertation was the first published research to examine the psychological issues of autistic adults who hold professional jobs; before this dissertation, literally nothing had been published on the matter. She has lectured on neurodiversity in the workplace. She has taught continuing legal education on issues of psychology and the law (including employment law) to bar associations.

Dr. Chris knows what it’s like to be a skilled professional wondering if they are on the personal or professional path they want. She’s been down that road, and hopes to assist you determine the direction you want to take next.