Christina Sandi Tjandra, Ph.D.
Born in Java Island, Indonesia. Lives and works in Toronto and Waterloo, Canada

Storytelling is a very important aspect of Indonesian arts and culture. Christina grew up surrounded by educators and artists who held Indonesian narrative culture close to their hearts. This upbringing instilled in her a passion for storytelling, research, and education that is infused with creativity.

Christina has won numerous awards in the arts and has exhibited her work both in Canada and internationally. Her illustrations were selected twice by American Illustration for publication, exhibited with the Society of Illustrators in New York, and commissioned by the New Yorker.

Her commitment to education and advocacy began at an early age. As a child, Christina was an environmental activist and represented the Republic of Indonesia at United Nations Environmental Programme conferences in the USA and Japan. During this time, she traveled extensively, creating comics and posters to spread her message to an international audience.

Building on her lifelong dedication to education, Christina became a K-6 Ontario Certified Teacher and earned her doctorate from the Language and Literacies Education program within the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her doctoral research explores the language, identity, place, and belonging experiences of plurilingual newcomer children. Her research has inspired her first MG novel, The Jar that Holds the Universe.

Christina now brings her expertise in education, research, and program development to her role as an Academic Program Development Specialist at the University of Waterloo, where she designs and supports innovative learning opportunities.