Christina Marie Bruner

I graduated from Georgetown University in 1998, earning dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Classics and International Relations and studying International Economics abroad at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. Christina played on the Georgetown Women's Soccer Team where she was a four-time All Big-East Academic Scholar and served as the team's captain during her junior and senior years. A prolific scorer, Christina still holds Georgetown's records for the most career goals and assists.

After graduating from Georgetown, I joined Americorps' National Civilian Community Corps, a volunteer program often referred to as the "domestic Peace Corps." Serving in the NCCC for nearly three years and performing over 6,500 hours of community service, I had an opportunity to travel the country and work with a myriad of organizations including Habitat for Humanity in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Branson, Missouri, the Colorado Division of Wildlife in Fruita, Colorado, the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Eastern North Carolina, Rails-to-Trails in St. Louis, Missouri, Texas Disaster Response in Cuero, Texas, Excelsior Juvenile Delinquent Services in Aurora, Colorado, and the Police Activities League in Star, Texas.

I moved to Missoula, Montana after graduating from the NCCC and soon found myself enrolled in the University of Montana's School of Law. At the U of M I received the prestigious Thomas A. & Elizabeth C. Colton and the Dorothy Ann Allen Hatfield Scholarships and was a member of the school's highly selective Moot Court team where I was a Moot Court National finalist and was named a "Best Oralist" in the Western Region. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to participate in the International Conference for Indigenous People at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland in 2002 and worked in the law school's Indian Law Clinic where I offered free legal services to Montana's Indian tribes.

I began my legal career at the Chemung County District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney. A felony prosecutor, I specialized in violent crimes against women and children and worked closely with Chemung County's Child Advocacy Center to insure the rights of victims were respected and the needs of families were met. I took a brief leave during my tenure at the District Attorney's Office to work at Davidson and O'Mara, P.C., where I practiced personal injury and municipal defense, gaining valuable experience.  I has extensive courtroom trial experience and has successfully argued before New York's Court of Appeals for the Third Department.

Christina live in Elmira with my fiancé, Damian Sonsire, a Chemung County Assistant District Attorney. I is a member of the Notre Dame High School and Arctic League Boards of Directors and am a head coach of Notre Dame's Mock Trial Team. In my spare time I enjoy running with the Finger Lakes Runners Club, riding her snowboard and hiking on the many trails running through the Southern Tier. To read my race reports in the Finger Lakes Runners Club's newsletter go to (Boston report,) and (Philadelphia report.)