Kristen is a graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Communication and African & African American Studies. She used her communication skills to create and produce a documentary, Twitch, following personal genetic testing for the devastating disorder, Huntington’s Disease, which caused her mother’s death. Kristen has spent 17 years advocating for Huntington’s research on state and national levels, helping raise more than $50,000 for this cause.
For three years she was the Advocacy Coordinator for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, once again using her skills working with social media, website management and website overhaul. She created and managed the Fair Chance Business Certification to recognize employers who hire people with criminal records.
Beginning in December 2019, Kristen became the Executive Director of Benevolence Farm, which provides formally incarcerated women a place to live and work until they are able to return home. The Farm raises vegetables, flowers and herbs, the latter two with therapeutic qualities which the residents use to make salves, lip balms and body creams for sale. Kristen is helping develop a pilot program for women under the Guaranteed Income initiative that can transform the reentry process. She also manages remote volunteers and helps mentor undergraduate interns at the Farm.
Kristen is a strong advocate for bail reform, criminal justice reform and women’s rights. She is committed to making our community a safe place to navigate for residents of all physical, mental and neurocognitive abilities. To this end, she has involved herself in local politics and has run for Alamance County Board of Commissioners.
Her favorite quote is from George Washington Carver: “One of the things that has helped me as much as any other is not how long I’m going to live, but how much I can do while living.” Kristen has certainly applied these words to her work and life! In ending, she describes herself as “always a farm girl on a farm of her own with her rescue Corgi, Colbert.”
