As Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Dr. Christenson oversees the Divisions of Army and Air National Guard, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Office of Veterans Affairs, the Alaska Military Youth Academy, and the Division of Administrative Services. He was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and attended Washington and Jefferson College on an Army ROTC scholarship. He was commissioned in 1985, and served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1985-1989 while on an educational delay to attend the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine. He entered active duty in the U.S. Army in 1989. In 1994, he entered the United States Air Force, serving until his retirement in 2012 at the rank of Colonel. Following retirement, Colonel (retired) Christenson was appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services where he served until 2014. He was appointed in his current position in 2018. His wife, Sandy is a teacher and they have two children, Lane and Katie.