Here you can read my Personal Bio or jump to my Professional Bio.
Personal Bio
Living to tell about it. Yup, that kinda sums it up. You could say I’m a talker but I prefer to think of myself as a natural communicator. When my high school guidance counselor asked me what I wanted to do for a living I answered without hesitation,
“I want to find a job where I get paid to talk. And, writing would be cool too.”
Fast forward several, OK, many years later and I’m blessed to say I made a delightful living out of talking and writing. After a satisfying career in public relations I felt called to stay home when my son Matthew was born. So, I packed up my office and closed the door on that chapter of my life.
But as the saying goes; when one door closes another opens.
However, the door to motherhood didn’t open easily. I traveled a long and winding road just to get to touch the door knob. Looking back, I see God literally carried me through parts of that journey, drawing me close to Him in ways I can only hope to adequately communicate one day. For that and so much more I am eternally grateful.
When I finally walked through the door to motherhood I realized all the doors behind me closed forever. Now I live to tell about my journey to motherhood, becoming a wife and help mate, building a family both biological and blended and seeking true friendship among women who are drawn together by the power of prayer.
I live with my husband Robb, sons Brandon, age eighteen, and Matthew, age four, and our two miniature dachshunds Melody and Ali in Dallas, Texas. One thing’s for sure, you’ll never hear this Canadian girl, born and raised in Winnipeg – affectionately referred to by the locals as ‘Winterpeg’ – complain about the Texas heat!
I look forward to the road ahead; walking, running, skipping and maybe even jumping through doors God plans to open along the way. I admit He might have to drag me through a few but I pray my feet move with a confidence and trust my heart and head might not yet fathom. I pray to walk in love and faith toward my final destination; the loving arms of Jesus.
I’m blessed and humbled by the opportunity to share the journey with you. Indeed, l live to tell about what God can do in my life and yours.
Professional Bio
Public Relations Kristin is a communications expert who achieved her APR designation (Accredited Public Relations) early in her career. She owned and managed her own public relations firm in Winnipeg, Canada specializing in working with non-profit and charitable organizations to strategically enhance communication and fundraising efforts. Clients included The Lung Association, The Kidney Foundation, Earth Day, Winnipeg Fire Department, Mennonite Central Committee, Manitoba Theatre for Young People to name a few.
She also has extensive publicity and promotions experience with top-tier, global public relations firms such as Edelman and Hill & Knowlton.
Kristin is the Publicity Panelist on The Writer's View Yahoo Group; a topic-driven group of approximately 750 Christian writer's seeking to improve their craft as they seek God's will for their writing. The divers panel of Christian publishing experts include published authors such as Mary Demuth, Cecil Murphy, MaryBeth Whalen, Susan Meissner and Christian publishing experts such as Sally Stuart, editor Alice Crider and agent Jonathan Clements.
Media Relations She served as a high-profile media relations spokesperson for several global corporations. In her role as a corporate spokesperson for a large, Dallas-based Fortune 100 company she developed contacts with key reporters at media outlets such as CNBC, CNNfn and local Dallas TV stations; daily news organizations including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, Reuters and magazines like BusinessWeek, Fast Company, Brand Week, Forbes and more.
Special Events and Promotions Kristin was involved in a variety of special event and program launch opportunities which included;
- Overseeing a Super Bowl commercial media relations campaign launched in Times Square New York, New York for which she received and American Society of Professional Communicators’ Masters Communication award.
- Providing media relations and sponsorship support for Dr. Ballard, world – renowned explorer and discoverer of the Titanic, Frozen Worlds Expedition in Alaska.
- Facilitating a media round table with Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel, after 911 on global security issues.
- Launching an award-winning fire safety program S.A.F.E. Baby, Smoke Alarms for Every Baby community outreach program resulting in the reduction of children dying in house fires.
- Acting as communications and marketing director for grand opening of state-of-the art six million dollar children’s theatre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Writing Her diverse writing career spans working with corporations, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Her writing portfolio consists of a wide-range of subject matters, audiences and communication vehicles including, but not limited to:
- Op Ed pieces and articles in regional and national publications
- New releases from corporate earnings to volunteer bake-sales
- Newsletters/brochures/flyers and other promotional materials
- Television, radio, print and outdoor advertising copy
- Global communication and marketing plans
- Contributions to Annual Reports (corporate and not-for-profit)
- Fundraising materials and direct mail pieces
- Web site content including articles targeting more than 140,000 global employees
- Speeches for CEOs, politicians, executive directors and special event speakers
Speaking A seasoned public speaker, Kristin is comfortable in small group or large auditorium settings addressing audiences of volunteers or high-level executives including CEOs. Her experience includes:
- Presenter at 2002 PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) International Conference in San Francisco - Brand Boot Camp: Basic Training for PR Professionals.
- Keynote speaker for Oregon PRSA Chapter Annual General Meeting in March 2004 on the role of communications in developing and leveraging public relations programs to deliver results.
- Featured speaker on live call-in telecast hosted Bulldog Reporter – a public relations industry association and newsletter.
- Panelist at Dallas PRSA chapter presentation on global communications. She addressed issues related to cultural sensitivity, language translation and time zone differences.
- Co-created and facilitated Making the News: Marketing and Media Relations for Not-for-Profit Organizations, a six-week seminar series hosted by the Volunteer Centre of Winnipeg, Canada for three years. More than 200 people from non-profit groups and faith-based organizations learned how to write news releases, hold news conferences, develop communication and marketing plans, advertising and crisis communications.
Here current platform focuses on issues important to women such as pregnancy, motherhood, step-parenting and blended families, marriage and friendship.
Education Kristin graduated Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and English.
Professional Associations and Conferences Kristin is a member of the Dallas Christian Writer’s Guild.
