Kristen has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University, and an M.S. in Environmental Science with a focus on shorebird ecology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Her thesis work focused on the distribution of Piping Plovers on the upper Texas coast. Kristen has worked as a seasonal conservation technician for ABC and Houston Audubon, a research associate for the Environmental Institute of Houston, and an intern with Student Conservation Association (SCA) at Everglades National Park and Canyonlands National Park.