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Chief Communications & Planning Officer Christie Garbe

Christie Garbe has served as the first Chief Communications & Planning Officer for Central Health (legally, the Travis County Healthcare District) since January of 2006, where she is responsible for government relations, communications and planning.

She moved to Austin from Anchorage, Alaska where she served as the CEO of the American Lung Association of Alaska for eight years. As CEO, she was an integral part of numerous policy initiatives to improve the health of all Alaskans, most notably the passage of a $1 per pack tax on cigarettes at the state level and within the municipality of Anchorage in 2005. In addition, a statewide, multi-million dollar media and messaging campaign to counter the marketing efforts of the tobacco industry was begun under her leadership. As a result of these and various other programs, youth tobacco use in Alaska declined significantly.

Ms. Garbe’s career has been devoted to health care ranging from the delivery and management of community mental health services to the development of substance abuse treatment programs within the Federal Prison System. She has extensive non-profit leadership experience serving as the Executive Director of two health-related non-profit organizations.

Ms. Garbe is also a former United Way Campaign Director with a successful fundraising record. Her work has focused on health and wellness issues in the communities where she has lived and worked. She obtained both a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Ms. Garbe is a certified Fundraising Executive through the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Her current volunteer work includes serving as Vice Chair of the board for Art Alliance Austin and serves on the Development Committee for the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders Foundation. In 2011 she was selected as McBee Fellow with the Austin Area Research Organization. Ms. Garbe is also a member of the 2012 Essential Class of Leadership Austin.