For as long as she can remember, Christine Freaney has been driven to excel in whatever she does.
Growing up in Long Beach, New York, she competed in sports with grit and determination and later played Division I softball as a pitcher at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where she received a BA in physical education.
“If I find something I like, I want to do it really well,” she said. “That’s how I’ve always been. If I’m focused on something, I want to know what’s the highest level and how can I achieve it.”
Her professional accomplishments are a testament. Freaney, Farmingdale State College (FSC) assistant professor of nutrition science and health promotion, became focused on public health as a UNCW undergraduate student and went on to earn a Master of Health Administration from Hofstra University and a PhD in health and human science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, then became a nationally master certified health education specialist (MCHES).
Freaney also held a vital role in administering a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded tobacco education, prevention, and cessation grant for a municipal health department in North Carolina. There she worked to gain support from both the community and county legislators to get life-saving policies passed into law.
“When you’re asking people to change their behaviors, when you’re asking for policy changes, it’s a slow process and you have to celebrate each little win,” she said. “I always tell students, ‘You have to be okay with 99 nos to get that one yes.’ And that’s what you live for. It’s those little wins that lead to the big changes. That’s important to recognize when you’re working in community health.”
Freaney, who joined FSC’s faculty in 2021, now focuses her research on healthcare disparities and outcomes among LGBTQ+ populations and aims to guide FSC students into successful futures helping others.
“Her teaching style has made a significant impact on me as a student and as a medical professional,” said Nicole Glasser, ’24, a health promotion and wellness major. “Her morals, values, and ethics are unparalleled and shine through in her teachings. I am grateful to have been able to learn from her and acquire different perspectives that I may never have discovered or explored on my own.”
Anastasia Hansen, ’24, a health promotion and wellness major, agreed. “Dr. Freaney epitomizes excellence as an educator through her passion and commitment to creating an enriching learning environment,” she said. “Her passion for health promotion is admirable as well as infectious. Dr. Freaney consistently goes above and beyond to provide guidance and leadership and empowers her students to reach their full potential in their studies.”
For Freaney, who serves as FSC Pride Club faculty advisor, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council co-chair, and DEI curriculum committee co-chair, it is rewarding to help supply a talented and diverse workforce for the region.
“The field is growing, and there’s a need for our students,” she said. “We have a lot of diversity in our classes now, and having them graduate and bringing their diversity to the workforce has many benefits. I’m proud of Farmingdale’s diversity and I’m proud that we’re providing a diverse workforce. It will improve the experience of others in so many ways.”
“Dr. Freaney was able to relate many course lessons to real-life events,” said Barakova Dieujuste, ’23, a safety and health inspector for the New York State Department of Labor. “I was inspired by her passion. I remember my first class with Dr. Freaney and thinking, ‘Wow, maybe I could do this too. Maybe I could help people too.’ My first job as a health educator, I flew past the interviews just for knowing Dr. Freaney and having that connection. Dr. Freaney has a gift for making people feel seen and understood. Her gift has changed my life for the better, and I am forever thankful.”
