Donna Christensen

Donna Christensen
Born	Donna Marie Christian 9/19/1945
Birthplace	Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Physician, politician
Title	Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands
Known for	First woman to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands in Congress
Education	George Washington University (MD)
Awards	Named honoree of the Donna M. Christian Christensen Health Center

Donna Marie Christian-Christensen (born September 19, 1945), formerly known as Donna Christian-Green, is an American physician and politician who served as the non-voting Delegate from the United States Virgin Islands to the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she made history as the first woman to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands in Congress and later became the first woman to win the Democratic nomination for governor in the territory's history. Trained as a physician, Christensen brought a medical perspective to her legislative work, focusing on healthcare access, health disparities, and issues affecting the U.S. territories. Over her nine terms in office, she became one of the longest-serving delegates from the Virgin Islands. Following her departure from Congress, she continued her involvement in public life, serving as Chair of the Virgin Islands Democratic Party from 2016 to 2018. In December 2025, construction began on a health center on St. Croix named in her honor, a recognition of her decades of service to the territory and its residents.

Early Life

Donna Marie Christian was born on September 19, 1945, in Teaneck, New Jersey. Although born on the mainland United States, she has deep roots in the U.S. Virgin Islands and grew up connected to the territory's culture and community. Her family ties to the Virgin Islands shaped her eventual decision to pursue a career in public service focused on the territory's needs.

Details of her early upbringing in New Jersey and subsequent move to the Virgin Islands reflect a background that bridged the mainland and the Caribbean territory, a dual perspective that would later inform her work in Congress as she navigated the complex relationship between the U.S. territories and the federal government. The National Library of Medicine has recognized her as a notable physician who helped change the face of American medicine, documenting her background and contributions to the medical field.

Education

Christensen earned her Bachelor of Science degree from St. Mary's College in Indiana. She then pursued medical training, receiving her Doctor of Medicine degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Her medical education provided the foundation for a career that combined clinical practice with public health advocacy, and her professional background as a physician became a defining feature of her political identity. As a practicing doctor before entering politics, Christensen brought firsthand knowledge of healthcare delivery challenges in underserved communities, particularly in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where access to medical services has historically been limited compared to the mainland United States.

Career

Medical Career

Before entering politics, Christensen practiced medicine in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her experience as a physician in the territory exposed her to the healthcare disparities and infrastructure challenges facing island communities. The National Library of Medicine included her in its "Changing the Face of Medicine" exhibition, which profiles notable women physicians who have made significant contributions to American medicine. Her medical background distinguished her from many of her colleagues in Congress and informed her legislative priorities throughout her time in office.

Election to Congress

Christensen first won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, succeeding Victor O. Frazer as the Delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands' at-large congressional district. She took office on January 3, 1997, becoming the first woman to represent the territory in Congress. As a non-voting delegate, Christensen could participate in committee work and floor debates but could not cast votes on the final passage of legislation on the House floor. Despite this limitation, delegates from U.S. territories play an important role in shaping policy through committee assignments, amendments, and advocacy.

Christensen won re-election repeatedly over the following years, establishing herself as a dominant political figure in Virgin Islands politics. In 2008, she was re-elected in a landslide, demonstrating the strong support she maintained among Virgin Islands voters throughout her congressional tenure. She ultimately served nine consecutive terms in Congress, from the 105th through the 113th Congress.

Congressional Service and Legislative Focus

During her time in Congress, Christensen focused on healthcare policy, health disparities, and issues affecting the U.S. territories. Her medical training gave her a unique perspective among legislators, and she became a prominent voice on matters of public health, particularly as they related to underserved and minority communities. She served on key committees that allowed her to advocate for the Virgin Islands and the broader interests of U.S. territories, which often face distinct challenges related to federal funding formulas, healthcare coverage, and disaster preparedness.

Christensen was active in the Congressional Black Caucus and used her position to highlight the particular needs of territorial residents, who lack full voting representation in Congress and face disparities in federal program participation. Her long tenure allowed her to build relationships and institutional knowledge that enhanced her effectiveness as a delegate despite the inherent limitations of her non-voting status.

Her voting record and policy positions were tracked throughout her career by organizations such as Vote Smart, which compiled information on her stances, votes, and public statements. She also made numerous appearances on C-SPAN, where her floor speeches and committee participation were broadcast to the public.

Campaign Finance Controversy

During her time in Congress, Christensen became entangled in a campaign finance controversy involving Jeffrey Thompson, a Washington, D.C.–based businessman and political donor who was later found to have engaged in illegal campaign contributions. In 2012, reports emerged that Christensen had received money from Thompson, who was at the time under investigation for his political donations.

Further reporting revealed that Thompson held a $6.3 million contract with the U.S. Virgin Islands government, raising questions about the relationship between his political donations and his business dealings with the territory. The Washington Post reported that Thompson's money became "poisonous to politicos" as the investigation widened, and several politicians who had received his contributions faced scrutiny. The controversy surrounding Thompson's donations affected multiple politicians across the region, and Christensen was among those whose financial ties to the donor drew media attention.

2014 Gubernatorial Campaign

In March 2014, Christensen announced her candidacy for Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, launching her campaign with Basil Ottley as her running mate for lieutenant governor. Her entry into the gubernatorial race was historic, as she became the first woman to win the Democratic Party's nomination for governor in Virgin Islands history. This milestone built upon her earlier achievement as the first woman to represent the territory in Congress.

However, Christensen did not prevail in the general election. Kenneth Mapp won the 2014 gubernatorial race, becoming the eighth elected governor of the United States Virgin Islands. Having chosen not to seek re-election to her congressional seat in order to run for governor, Christensen's departure from the House of Representatives was confirmed. She was succeeded as Delegate by Stacey Plaskett, who took office on January 3, 2015.

Post-Congressional Career

After leaving Congress, Christensen remained active in Virgin Islands politics. She served as Chair of the Virgin Islands Democratic Party from August 6, 2016, to August 4, 2018, succeeding Cecil Benjamin in the role and being succeeded by Benjamin upon the completion of her term. In this capacity, she continued to shape the political direction of the Democratic Party in the territory, overseeing party operations and electoral strategy during a period that included the devastating 2017 hurricane season, when Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused catastrophic damage to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Christensen's ongoing involvement in territorial affairs reflects her continued commitment to the Virgin Islands beyond her congressional service. She has remained a public figure in the territory, engaged in healthcare advocacy and community development efforts.

Personal Life

Donna Marie Christian was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, and has maintained deep ties to the U.S. Virgin Islands throughout her life. She has been known by several names during her career, reflecting her marriages: she was formerly known as Donna Christian-Green before taking the name Donna Christian-Christensen. Her personal life has intersected with her professional work, as her experience as a physician in the Virgin Islands informed her understanding of the community she would go on to represent in Congress.

Christensen has been recognized by the Social Networks and Archival Context cooperative (SNAC) for her historical significance, with archival records documenting her career and contributions.

Recognition

Christensen's contributions to medicine and public service have been recognized through multiple honors. The National Library of Medicine featured her in its "Changing the Face of Medicine" exhibition, which highlights the achievements of notable women physicians in American history. This recognition underscored both her medical career and her role as a trailblazer for women in Virgin Islands politics.

Her congressional career was documented in official government publications, including the Congressional Directory for the 108th Congress, which recorded her biographical information and committee assignments.

In December 2025, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on St. Croix for the Donna M. Christian Christensen Health Center, the first Rebuild USVI project to begin construction. The health center, named in her honor, represents a lasting recognition of her decades of advocacy for healthcare access in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The naming of a major healthcare facility after Christensen reflects the significance of her dual career as both a physician and a legislator who prioritized health policy throughout her time in public service. The Rebuild USVI program was established to help the territory recover from the devastating 2017 hurricane season, and the choice to name its first major construction project after Christensen speaks to her association with healthcare in the Virgin Islands.

Legacy

Donna Christensen's legacy in the U.S. Virgin Islands and in American politics is defined by several historic firsts and by her sustained focus on healthcare and territorial rights. As the first woman to represent the Virgin Islands in Congress and the first woman to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the territory, she opened pathways for women in Virgin Islands political life. Her successor as Delegate, Stacey Plaskett, became the second woman to hold the position, building upon the precedent Christensen established.

Her nine terms in Congress made her one of the longest-serving delegates from the Virgin Islands, and her tenure coincided with a period of significant policy debates over healthcare reform, territorial funding, and disaster preparedness. As a physician-legislator, she brought expertise to health policy discussions that few of her colleagues could match, and she used her position to advocate for addressing health disparities in minority and underserved communities.

The construction of the Donna M. Christian Christensen Health Center on St. Croix serves as a physical manifestation of her legacy, ensuring that her name will be associated with healthcare delivery in the Virgin Islands for generations to come. The facility, part of the post-hurricane rebuilding effort, connects her legacy to both the territory's recovery and its future development.

Christensen's career also reflects the broader challenges and opportunities facing representatives of U.S. territories in Congress. As a non-voting delegate, she operated within institutional constraints that limited her formal legislative power, yet she used her position to draw attention to the needs of territorial residents and to build coalitions with other members of Congress. Her work contributed to ongoing conversations about the political status and representation of U.S. territories, issues that remain unresolved in American governance.

Her recognition by the National Library of Medicine and her inclusion in archival collections ensure that her contributions to both medicine and public service are documented for future scholars and researchers.