Kristi grew up near Colorado Springs and attended UCCS earning undergraduate degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and a minor in Forensic Science. Immediately after graduating, she completed her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction through the College of Education at UCCS. Kristi spent the next 9 years teaching every science subject at every secondary grade level. Her passion for STEM education at all levels and desire to only purchase one college sweatshirt led her to pursue her PhD in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy at UCCS. Kristi is currently a PhD candidate actively working towards finishing her dissertation. Kristi’s research interests are currently centered around STEM education, STEM teacher preparation, and the STEM teacher labor market. Kristi currently teaches Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry to pre-nursing students and Introduction to Environmental Science.