Cristi Ritschel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in the social services field. She holds a Masters of Social Work degree from CSU Long Beach with a specialization in Adulthood and Aging, and a BA in Human Development from UC San Diego. Before joining SAHA in 2014, Cristi worked as a therapist, victim advocate, and program supervisor for Human Options, Inc., a non-profit leader in the field of family violence prevention and intervention. She has worked in various social service settings from group homes, university mental health systems, family violence centers, interdisciplinary coalitions, and community based mental health clinics.  Cristi volunteers on the board of Building Futures for Women and Children and presently serves as the Board President. She brings her clinical lens and diverse direct service experience to inform the design of service coordination and community engagement programs, staff development, and partnerships to ensure SAHA’s Resident Services department delivers services that are person-centered, inclusive, trauma-informed, and impactful.