Staff: Dr. Christine Phares

Dr. Christine Phares brings more than 15 years of experience in education, nonprofit leadership, and development to her role as Director of Chapter Grants at Friends of the Children–National. She leads a team of grants professionals supporting chapters across the country, helping translate local priorities into funding strategies that sustain long-term relationships with youth and families. Her approach centers on collaboration, thoughtful strategy, and a belief that every child deserves access to opportunity and consistent support.

Christine’s experience spans nonprofit programming to development, with strengths in grant strategy, funder alignment, proposal development, and impact reporting across foundation, corporate, and government funding. She has served as a grant panelist and evaluator for city and statewide agencies and as a development consultant. Having begun her career as an educator in Houston and New York City, she brings a practical understanding of the connections between education, family well-being, and community investment.

Christine holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership from Lamar University, an MM from the University of North Texas, and a bachelor's degree in music education from Lamar University. She completed United Way of Greater Houston’s Emerging Leaders Institute, a cohort-based leadership development program, was an adjunct professor at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston and recently completed her term as board chair of a young professional's auxiliary supporting a Houston foster care agency.

She lives in Houston with her dogs, Ellie and Ollie, and enjoys reading, volunteering with a local dog rescue, and traveling.