Kristen grew up in Southern Oregon and lived in Australia for 14 years before moving to Missoula in 2017. She has a BSc in Environmental Biology from the Evergreen State College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Montana. She has always been drawn to water in one way or another, whether it be life guarding, floating down the Rogue River’s wild and scenic section, conducting research on aquatic insects (damselflies), or working in water policy. The highlight of her career, to date, has been working for the Murray Darling Basin Authority in Australia, the country’s federal water regulator. She is looking forward to contributing to the work of WMCC and seeing the outcomes of solid collaborations focusing on water quality. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her dogs, family, and friends doing almost anything outside.