Mental Health Awareness Month: Dr. Cha ’03 Returned to Inspire, Support & Educate

Welcome home, Dr. Christine B. Cha ’03!

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Dr. Cha, along with two postdoctoral scholars, returned to Wallingford, Conn., and met with members of the Choate Rosemary Hall Biology Club to discuss matters related to public health, psychology, research, and clinical work. Open to all those interested, the event also gave students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to ask questions, engage in fascinating conversation, and build community.

Making her way from Cheshire, Conn., to Wallingford, Conn., Dr. Cha was co-president of the Asian Student Association, a skilled pianist, a photo contributor to The Choate News, and an all-around student leader who continued her education at Wellesley College. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from Wellesley, a Master of Arts in Psychology from Harvard University, and Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from Harvard University before teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University, and NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Now, as an Associate Professor at the Yale Child Study Center, Dr. Cha serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, and General Hospital Psychiatry.

Dr. Cha's work is of extreme importance to Gen Z and Generation Alpha, as she has spent nearly 15 years taking a closer look at youth suicide, examining how best to assess, predict, and reduce the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors early in life. At Yale, she is the Principal Investigator at the Cha Lab, where she strives to equip at-risk youth with preventative tools and resources.

"We are mental health researchers who partner with teens, families, clinicians, and youth-serving communities to discover new suicide-preventing insights and solutions," a statement from the Cha Lab read. "Guided by these partnerships, we also collaborate with fellow researchers across psychology, medicine, technology, and culture. As researchers, we collect and analyze data, share our findings with the public, and explore how our findings can drive real-world change."

Cha's visit to discuss her career and work with students is one of many events and activities organized by the Choate Rosemary Hall Biology Club. Led by Victoria DeVito ’27, Bruce van Wingerden ’28, Joe Yan ’26, and faculty advisor Ms. Selena Gell, the Biology Club has offered students opportunities to explore various aspects of the field through trips, seminars, activities, and more. Recently, the club's events have included a trip to the Cushing Center, hosting a presentation given by Max Garsten ’27, and exploring the existence of plastic-eating bacteria.

Note: The text of this story was updated on Thursday, May 28 — marking a tense change in all paragraphs, from future to past. 

Photo Credit: Yale School of Medicine

Editorial Credit: Ryan Shepard '14 is the Manager of Editorial Services at Choate Rosemary Hall, bringing 10+ years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and content strategy.