Kristen is the co-founder of Persist Nashville and has spent her entire career committed to improving K-16 education. Ms. King became a teacher through Teach for America, serving students in Waipahu, Hawaii. During this time, she earned her M.Ed. in teaching from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
 
Kristen transitioned into working with college students at InsideTrack, the industry leading coaching services organization in the United States, becoming certified as a Master Coach. As a Campus Director, she led the project to develop a thriving self-sustaining coaching program at Wallace State Community College. Prior to co-founding Persist Nashville, Ms. King worked as the Associate Director of College Access and Persistence at RePublic High School. She is currently pursuing her M.Sc. at the Edinburgh Futures Institute at the University of Edinburgh.
 
In her free time, she loves watching Alabama football, traveling, reading, and hanging with her two cats, Nasrid and Mazie Meatball.