Christina Lea Smith is currently working toward her master's degree in Library &Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2015,she completed her master's degree in history from Illinois State University. Her thesis, "Joseph Addison Turner: The Countryman and Confederate Nationalism" won the 2015 James C. Bonner Award for best master's thesis. She has published an article entitled "Elizabeth Parsons Wade Packard's Challenge of True Womanhood" in the peer-reviewed Journal of Illinois History.

Christina has over twenty years teaching experience at colleges across Illinois. She focuses on nineteenth century American history and Civil War seminars. She volunteers as an instructor for Bradley University's Osher for Lifelong Learning Institute. She also speaks at historical societies, women's groups, and other associations.