Volunteer, Public Servant, Child Advocate

Krista has a long history of serving kids in her community. After obtaining a degree in child development, Krista worked at the University of Missouri Child Development Center while attending law school. Upon graduation, she served as the Director of Operations for the Iowa Child Protective Training Academy and later worked as a prosecuting attorney in the areas of child protection and juvenile delinquency in both Iowa and Illinois. Almost 25 years ago, Krista and her husband, Dave, moved to Colorado with their two young sons, where Dave has been a healthcare provider and small business owner and Krista has been a committed school and community volunteer, and has served in a variety of pro bono legal roles.

Volunteering in her children’s schools strengthened Krista’s appreciation for educators and highlighted the importance of strong partnerships between families and schools. Her desire to give back to the many educators who helped meet the unique needs of her children is what drove Krista’s desire to serve her community on the Douglas County School District Board of Education. As a board member, Krista was elected by her school board peers across the state to serve on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Association of School Boards.

While her most recent experience is in a large district, Krista grew up in a small town in southeast Missouri where her mother was a teacher, and her father, an Army Veteran, served on the local school board. Their service gave Krista an early appreciation for the importance of family, community, and service to others. The public school was a central hub of the community, where neighbors often gathered to support students and one another. This background was instrumental as she chose to focus her professional career on helping children and families.

Krista believes strongly that every child, no matter where they live in Colorado, deserves to have their individual needs recognized, to be given endless opportunities to learn and grow, and to be part of an educational community that prioritizes their education. She is excited to advocate for the best interests of all 881,464 Colorado public school students.