About Kristen

I am a teacher and a nonfiction author. I’m also a founding member of a STEAM school called Ladera STARS Academy. This Title 1, public elementary school brings the power of hands-on science to a beautiful and diverse group of students including: foster youth, children on the autism spectrum, and bilingual learners. At the center of it all is science, engineering, art/design, math, and coding. We use The Next Generation Science Standards as the basis for our learning, and have fun creating projects that are relevant to our students.

I’ve been teaching for over twenty years and have a Masters Degree in Education from Pepperdine, and hold a National Certification in STEM teaching. I absolutely LOVE hands-on science - learning through discovery is what it’s all about. I trained as a science teacher with the Lawrence Hall of Science, West Ed. Alliance, and the San Francisco Exploratorium.

I also love reading and writing nonfiction. I researched and developed an 8-week science program on biomimicry for elementary students. During this course, one of my first grade students had a question about a biomimicry inventor. I reached out to Nakatsu, Eiji, Japanese bullet train designer and engineer, to ask him my first grader’s question. Well…our email conversation ended up with a visit to our school from Mr. Nakatsu thanks to a grant from the Japan Foundation. Mr. Nakatsu spoke at our school, Cal State Channel Islands, and the Otis School of Design.

I’m passionate about connecting young children to nature and the sustainable ideas the living world offers, and have served as an NGSS teacher trainer at the annual STEMposium Institute sponsored by CA State Channel Islands.