Christina Isabel MacBeth was born November 8, 1915 in Milverton, Ontario to Malcolm and Janet Stewart MacBeth. She attended Alma College, St. Thomas Ontario. She attended the University of Toronto and graduated in 1939 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She continued on to finish her Masters in Education there and completed post-graduate studies at the School of Film Technique in London and at the University of Waterloo. She worked as and English and Science teacher and later as principal of Merlin High School and taught in Nassau, Bahamas.
She attended Ryerson Institute of Technology and received her diploma in Radio and Television Arts in 1952. She was hired that same year as a facutly member. In 1965, she took a leave of absence from Ryerson to run unsuccessfully for the Liberal Party of Canada in the Perth Riding. In 1968, she became the editor and publisher of the Milverton Sun Newspaper, which had been owned by her father. Christina was a founding member of Ryerson's Faculty Association, acting as its Vice President and acting President in the early 1970s. She was Ryerson's Board of Governors from 1972-1973.

Christina MacBeth retired from Ryerson in 1973 due to illness, passing September 20, 1974. At the time of her death, she was vice-president of the Media Club of Canada (Toronto Branch) and a member of the University Women's Club. The Christina MacBeth Memorial Award was established at Ryerson in her honour.