Born and raised in Orange, California.

Began performing/dancing at the age of 3. Enjoys dancing, singing, and acting.

Taught dance (tap, jazz, and ballet) and gymnastics in Texas at “Tina’s Dance & Gym,” for a while when husband was stationed there in the Army.

Danced/performed for the Disneyland parade department for five years and was in various Disney commercials, specials, and videos.

Attended Orange High School in Orange, California which was a 3-year high school. In high school was voted Most Talented in her senior class. She was on Drill Team her sophomore year and Captain her junior year. She then became a cheer leader/song leader her senior year. She was in the Chamber Singers (top singing group on campus) during both her Junior & Senior years. She was the only sophomore girl allowed in the annual musical production in 1985, which was “West Side Story.” She was also the assistant choreographer that year. The following year she was in the chorus, a dancer and the choreographer for “The Wizard of Oz.” Leads were not given to anyone other than seniors so she had to wait until the following year. In her senior year she was given the female lead in “South Pacific,” where she played opposite her male cousin in that show. As you can see, she was heavily involved in the arts in high school.

Graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor’s in Child Development in May 1996.
Received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Fullerton in May 1997.
Received her Master’s of Science in Instructional Design and Technology in May 2004.

Fall 2011, began her 14th year of teaching at the elementary school level. She was a teacher on special assignment for 3 years as a Literacy Coach for Santa Paula Elementary School District, receiving 2 awards, one from the Santa Paula Elementary School District for Teacher of the Month for October 2008 and The American Literacy Award in which she went to Sacramento for the award ceremony that same year.

Moved to Santa Paula, California, in July 1997 to teach first grade at McKevett School (A Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Elementary School). Moved in 1998 to Fillmore, California.

Until recently she sang with a local Santa Paula singing group “The Half Notes” (formerly Les Classeeks). She was asked to sing the national anthem (as a solo) at the Santa Paula Centennial Celebration a few years ago. She sings for many weddings and funerals and went to Europe on a 3 week chamber concert tour and sang at Notre Dame in Paris, Albert Hall in London, plus other various places in Europe. She also sang the national anthem at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. Most recently, in May 2009, she sang at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Productions she has been in:
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 1984 (musical) – “Mrs. Potiphar”.
West Side Story 1985 (musical) – chorus/dancer.
The Wizard of Oz 1986 (musical) – chorus/dancer.
South Pacific 1987 (musical) – lead “Nellie Forbush”.
Godspell 1988 (musical) – chorus/dancer.
Nevada Belle 1998 (musical) – "Irish Blonde"/choreographer.
Afraid of the Dark 1998 (melodrama) – “Mrs. Mayhew” the evil housekeeper.
Visions of Christmas 1999 (musical) – chorus/principal dancer
It’s A Wonderful Life 2000 (musical) - dancer/choreographer
Harvey 2004 (comedy/drama) – “Myrtle Mae Simmons” niece of Elwood Dowd
Sundown Alley 2005 (melodrama) - "Amy Sweet" the heroine
The Egg & I 2005 (comedy/drama) - "Miss Linden" the county agent

Productions she has choreographed:
West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz, South Pacific, Godspell, Grease, Nevada Belle, Wind of A Thousand Tales, It’s A Wonderful Life, The Velveteen Rabbit, Broadway Revue, The Sound of Music, The Great Circus Caper, Annie, Once Upon a Mattress, Diary of Anne Frank, SPHS variety show, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, Totally Rad: The 80s Musical, and various other local community and church productions, etc.

She was also on the technical crew for many productions at California State University, Fullerton because she was a musical theatre major before she was a child development major for two years. She has done other technical crew/backstage work as well on every show she has co-directed and/or choreographed.

In 2007, she co-directed "Wind of A Thousand Tales" for Sespe Players in Fillmore, California.

Here is a Recent Program Bio excerpt:

Kristi has been performing since the age of three. Moving to Fillmore with her husband, John, in the fall of 1998, she has been a resident of Fillmore for thirteen years. She served on the Fillmore Film Commission for almost 10 years and is currently in her fourteenth year of teaching in Santa Paula. She grew up in Orange, California where she was a dancer/performer at Disneyland for five years. Prior to the Magic Kingdom she taught tap, jazz, ballet, and gymnastics to children. She is able to teach children these same skills including acting and singing in her present position as a third grade teacher at Barbara Webster Elementary School. She has performed in and choreographed numerous productions including “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “West Side Story,” “Wizard of Oz,” “South Pacific,” “Grease,” “Godspell,” “Nevada Belle,” “Afraid of the Dark,” “The Velveteen Rabbit,” “Wind of A Thousand Tales,” “Sound of Music,” “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Annie,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” "Seussical," and various other productions throughout Orange and Ventura counties. In May 2004, she received her Masters of Science in Instructional Design and Technology so she has been away from performing for the past few years. You may recognize her from “Harvey,” the play which recently was performed in Fillmore as a revival of the Sespe Players. She is happy to currently be choreographing both Beauty and the The Beast for Santa Paula High School as well as the world premiere of Josh Overton's, "Totally Rad: The 80's Musical," for Fillmore's Sespe Players where she is able to teach students what she loves doing best… Perform!