Christopher Overtree, PhD

Christopher is the Operations Director for the BIRCh Project and is currently a Senior Lecturer and research fellow in the College of Education at UMass Amherst, where he was also previously on the faculty in Clinical Psychology and Director of the UMass Psychological Services Center. He is a well-known teacher and public speaker with extensive experience supporting public schools as they implement best practices for fostering student well-being. In addition, his work in school climate assessment and intervention has taken him across the country to support districts using data-driven approaches to school improvement. As a child clinical psychologist, he supports children and families systemically by working beyond symptoms and inside the educational, family, and environmental challenges that create a child’s social/emotional ecosystem. Amidst this ongoing work, he has served as the stepped Executive Director for a large non-profit organization that developed outdoor educational programming for families and youth and is also the President of the Board of Trustees for Empty Arms Bereavement Services, an organization that supports families who have experienced the loss of an infant. His experience in non-profit administration, fundraising and finance has proved to be extremely valuable in his consulting with organizations who seek to grow their impact.