Before joining the doctoral program at the University of Iowa, Chris served as the Residential Empowerment and Advocacy for Children's Health (REACH) Program Coordinator at Youth Emergency Services & Shelter in Des Moines, where she supervised the Residential Resource Team delivering healing-centered programming for child victims of crime. 

Chris also served as a direct commissioned officer and clinical social worker in the Iowa Army National Guard, conducting mental health assessments and supporting military personnel as they navigated the dual roles of civilian and soldier. That work, along with a formative period studying design thinking at the Stanford University Hasso Plattner School of Design and teaching public policy as a Visiting Instructor in the University of Iowa School of Social Work Des Moines Program, drew her attention to how the environments we build shape collective well-being. 

Her current research sits at the intersection of technology and behavioral health, with a particular focus on how young people find identity and belonging through digital play, including both recreational and competitive video gaming. Through this interdisciplinary lens, Chris examines how contemporary life unfolds in digitally mediated spaces.