Christine Hunter

Christine M. Hunter is an American clinical psychologist and a uniformed service officer. She is the acting National Institutes of Health (NIH) associate director for behavioral and social sciences research and acting director of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. Hunter was an active duty officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1996 to 2006. She is a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Education Hunter completed a B.S. in psychology at the United States International University in 1992. She earned M.S. (1995) and Ph.D. (1997) in clinical psychology from University of Memphis. Her dissertation was titled Dietary restriction as a predictor of a constellation of problem behaviors in a bi-racial sample of adolescents: a prospective analysis. Robert C. Klesges was chair of her thesis committee along with Thomas Fagan, Sam B. Morgan and Leslie A. Robinson. Hunter completed her psychology internship at Wilford Hall Medical Center in 1997. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology in 2001 and was board certified in clinical health psychology in 2005 by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Career U.S. Air Force Hunter served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for ten years in a variety of clinical, management, research, and policy positions. From 1996 to 1997, she was chief resident at Wilford Hall Medical Center where she served as a liaison between 11 residents and internship faculty and reported to the director of clinical training. From 1997 to 1998, Hunter was a staff psychologist at the Keesler Medical Center at the Keesler Air Force Base. She provided outpatient adult mental health, clinical health psychology, and couples counseling services. Hunter was promoted to clinical director of inpatient mental health at Keesler from 1998 to 1999. Hunter was the first non-prescribing provider to hold this position and have admitting privileges. From 1999 to 2000, Hunter was chief of the Keesler life skills enhancement center where she led outpatient mental health services.