Cristi is the Executive Director of Samdhana Institute, since 2016. Before this, Cristi was the Specialist for Regional Institutional Capacity Building and Partnership of Birdlife International. She also served as Senior Advisory Board member of the Foundation of the Philippine Environment. She works with local NGO and community partners to assist them in responding to local needs and develop not only skills and knowledge in conservation but also in handling social issues affecting or possibly impacting areas under co-management.

She began her work for social reform in the Philippines during the political struggle against the Marcos dictatorship in the early 1980s. Cristi joined the fight against the proposed Chico River dam as a staff writer for the Philippine Collegian at the University of the Philippines. Since then, she has taken on various roles in the Haribon Foundation, a Philippine-based nonprofit organization, which carried out major campaigns including Save Palawan Campaign (Boto sa Inang Bayan). This campaign evolved into a nationwide anti-commercial logging campaign. Today, Cristi is engaged in advocacy for funding mechanisms based in and managed by the global South, as well as community-based natural resources management including the promotion of community conserved areas. She is also currently involved in capacity building for indigenous national organizations in and around Asia and the promotion of local empowerment programmes across Asia. She holds a postgraduate degree in rural resources and environmental policy from the University of London.