Christine Mari Palma Start, FBANC President (2016-2017)

Christine Mari Palma Start is a Special Deputy Attorney General with the Office of the California Attorney General, working in the areas of criminal justice reform and civil rights. Previously, Christine served as a Deputy Public Defender with the Solano County Alternate Public Defender

Christine is the 36th President of FBANC and served on the FBANC Board from 2011 to 2017. During her tenure on the board, Christine has served as External Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Director, and Legal Clinics Director.  Christine currently serves on the FBANC Advisory Board. 

While on the FBANC Board, Christine envisioned a conference focused on empowering Filipina attorneys and aspiring attorneys as leaders in the law.  In 2017, FBANC hosted over 100 Filipina judges, attorneys, and aspiring attorneys at the Inaugural Pinay Powerhouse Conference in San Francisco.

Christine is proud of several initiatives that began during her presidency, including the Filipino Veteran's Rights Clinic co-hosted by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; FBANC's Annual Women's Afternoon Tea Event hosted at Advisory Board member Ruthe Ashley's villa; "How to Become a Law Professor" Panel; the inaugural FBANC Foundation + National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Convention Scholarship; and the Formation of the FBANC LGBTQ Committee.

What FBANC means to Christine:

"As a law student, young lawyer and public defender, I had many doubts and fears when it came to my knowledge, skills and talents, but FBANC never did. FBANC never questioned me, no one in FBANC ever made me feel like I was on the wrong path or agenda. In fact, FBANC held space for me to be who I wanted to be and to pursue what I wanted to pursue. FBANC fostered me by providing me with the backbone, the encouragement and the unyielding support to pursue my passions and to make my dreams a reality. FBANC gave me role models, living examples of fierce Filipino public defenders and/or defense attorneys who were fighting the good fight and doing it right. FBANC introduced me to the endless opportunity of meeting brilliant Pinay Powerhouses who were not only bold leaders in their communities, but amazing mentors and strong mamas too! No one in FBANC ever questioned my abilities but instead questioned me, 'HOW? How can I help you, Christine?' And then actually did!"

In addition to her service on FBANC, Christine has served in leadership positions with various organizations, including the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA) as Womxn’s Network Chair, Regional Governor of Northern California, and Wellness Director;  Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Solano County (APABA-Solano County) as Board Member; and Asian American Criminal Trial Lawyers Association (AACTLA) as Secretary, Membership Director, and Board Member. 

Christine is also a proud leadership and life coach for women and runs her own business, FireStarter Coaching. She is a devoted certified yoga and social justice teacher and practitioner.

Christine has received numerous awards, including being recognized as a “Best Lawyer Under 40” by NAPABA and with the "Unity Award" by the Minority Bar Coalition for working in a unified manner to advance the cause of diversity in the legal profession.  Christine has also received the Thurgood Marshall “Intricate Planner and Defender of the Poor” Award from the Solano County Public Defender and Alternate Defenders.

Christine graduated from University of San Francisco Law School and was honored with the “Pursuit of Justice Award” of her graduating class. Christine earned her B.A. in Political Science and Mass Communications from UC Berkeley.