Kristen is Senior Extension Program Manager, Coastal Community Resilience, and DEI Leader at Maine Sea Grant.
Kristen keeps an office at the Wells Reserve. She has worked in southern Maine since 1999. Because York and Cumberland counties are within a one to two hour driving distance of Boston, southern Maine has experienced rapid population and development pressure as the housing boom in the greater Boston area continues at a rapid pace, pricing out many residents and pushing them further and further south, west, and north of the city. These realities create a set of regional issues and opportunities that distinguish this region from other parts of the state.
In response to these issues, the majority of Kristen's work focuses on the interactions between humans and coastal ecosystems and includes community-based stewardship and monitoring programs, as well as habitat restoration initiatives. To this work, Kristen brings a Master of Science degree focused on environmental education, and has an extensive background in outreach education and community development.