Kristin is a native of Crookston, Minnesota, attended Bethel University in St. Paul, and has lived in the western suburbs for more than twenty years.  She is currently the Executive Director of the Economic Club of Minnesota, a non-profit focused on strengthening Minnesota’s economic competitiveness, which she has led since its founding in 2008.

Kristin and her husband, Brent, have been married for almost 25 years and have raised three daughters in Maple Grove.  She is a “soccer mom” and has spent countless evenings and weekends cheering on her girls in soccer, basketball, softball, gymnastics and trap shooting.  She has been an active volunteer, coaching Destination Imagination and teaching Junior Achievement’s economic literacy program, as well as teaching Sunday School, AWANA and VBS at her church. 

Kristin has an extensive economics and public service background.  Prior to creating and leading the Economic Club, she was the Executive Director of a group that helped pass education tax credits in Minnesota.  The Wall Street Journal called this legislation “a model for the rest of the country.”  She also served on the State Commission to End Chronic Homelessness.

Kristin also worked in Washington, D.C., as the Legislative Director for Congressman Harris W. Fawell (R-IL), where she focused on taxes, trade, education and labor issues.  She also led the bi-partisan Congressional Porkbusters Coalition, co-chaired by Rep. Fawell and Rep. Tim Penny (MN), cut millions of dollars of wasteful government spending from appropriations bills.  Before that, she was employed in the Business and Economics Division of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).

Kristin is an active member of New Hope Church, where she serves on the board of HopeBridge food shelf.  She was a founding Director of the Banyan Community, a neighborhood community development organization focused on addressing the achievement gap in the East Phillips area of Minneapolis, and she continues to be actively engaged in their work. 

Kristin has also been an active volunteer for Republican candidates throughout her life and has served as a precinct Chair, Vice Chair and Deputy Chair for SD 34 Republicans for many years.

Kristin holds a Masters in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a B.A. in Economics/Political Science from Bethel University.  She lives in Maple Grove with her husband and three daughters.