Kristine grew up the daughter of a single mother who struggled with substance abuse and relied heavily on social services including Head Start and food stamps. In and out of foster care and even homeless at points in her childhood, Kristine’s journey to elected state representative, a Director of Economic Development in the Commerce Department, and happily married mother of two children is a testimony to the value of public education and the critical investment of public-school educators in transforming her life and helping her break the cycle of poverty.
Kristine is the daughter, granddaughter and twin sister of veterans, which fuels her passion for military families. She has served the state as an immigration advisor to several higher education institutions helping hundreds of international students pursue education opportunities in the United States. Then as the South Sound Regional Director and Statewide Veterans Representative for US Senator Patty Murray, she worked on veterans’ health care, improving military transition and workforce development. She worked for 6.5 years in the Washington Commerce Department as the Director of the Military and Defense Sector, where she helped foster economic opportunities for military families, veterans, and the community. In this role, Kristine helped secure millions of dollars in federal grants to improve private sector job growth, supported military personnel transitioning to private sector jobs, and supported the 1900+ small businesses in the defense sector supply chain during the Department of Defense downsizing.
