Christina is a first-generation Indian American engineer, investor, award-winning author, board member, and global speaker whose career bridges technology, entrepreneurship and the arts.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Drexel University and her Master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. While pursuing engineering, Christina experienced gender bias firsthand, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to equity in STEM. She went on to become the first Asian president of her university’s IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) society and was selected for prestigious engineering work-study programs with Lockheed Martin, Unisys, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Christina began her professional career as a Systems Engineer and later Project Manager at BAE Systems, a leading U.S. defense contractor. There, she received the Meritorious Performer Award and led her team to win the Chairman’s Gold Award in Innovation, the highest honor awarded by the global company. In collaboration with Harvard University, she has also been published through IEEE, further establishing her technical and research credentials.

In 2024, Christina was crowned Mrs. Colorado American and went on to become 1st Runner-Up at Mrs. American. She uses her platform to advocate for women in STEM, diverse leadership, and purpose-driven impact across industries.

As Founder and General Partner of XIA Capital, Christina has spent more than a decade supporting innovators and scaling forward-thinking ideas, particularly in Artificial Intelligence and sustainability. Through angel investing and advisory work, she actively champions women-led technology startups and mission-driven founders.

Christina serves as a Board Member of Project Aspire, an organization dedicated to helping women re-enter the workforce as confident, capable leaders. Through this work, she supports initiatives that restore professional momentum with dignity, mentorship, and strategic career development.

She also serves on the Engineering Leadership Advisory Council for ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers) as part of its Women’s Leadership Collective. In this role, she helps drive strategic planning, programming, and growth initiatives that empower experienced engineers to reach the highest levels of leadership. Her work focuses on enabling systemic change so that senior technical leadership spaces are welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all.

Beyond engineering and investing, Christina is an award-winning novelist writing under the name ChristinaJ. Her debut children’s novel, Royal Planet, uses symbolism and imaginative storytelling to explore themes of identity, colorism, adoption and self-worth in a way that resonates with readers of all ages. Inspired by her desire to write a meaningful story for her own children, her work reflects her belief that empowerment begins at home.

A classically trained Indian dancer in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Mohiniyattam, Christina founded and operated Nirthalaya Academy, with two locations in New York and New Jersey. She has choreographed, taught, and performed across North America, Europe, and Asia, performed on Broadway stages, and walked in Fashion Weeks in Denver, New York, and Paris. She also starred in a lead role in, Atu America Itu India,  the first Telugu film shot in the United States. The film won the Nandi Award for Third Best Feature Film further expanding her creative portfolio.

An accomplished speaker, Christina has delivered keynotes and invited talks at academic, cultural, and international venues. She has served as Master of Ceremonies for the Colorado Asian Heroes Awards and participated in discussions with Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and appeared on television, radio and podcasts.

Above all, Christina is a wife and mother of two sons whose intersecting roles as engineer, investor, artist, author, board leader, and advocate, shape her core belief: women do not have to choose between logic and creativity, ambition and heart. True empowerment begins within the home and extends outward to transform communities, industries and culture.