As a managing director at Kinaura Partners, Kristen leads the Immunization & Infectious Diseases portfolio, bringing deep expertise in global health policy, coalition building, and funder engagement. She specializes in supporting initiatives that drive policy change, agenda setting, and resource mobilization across global health institutions Within her portfolio, she works with partners including the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Wellcome Trust to advance strategic objectives and strengthen collaboration across multilateral systems.
Kristen has worked at the intersection of global health and health equity for 20 years. She focuses on designing and implementing policy change efforts — often through strategic convening, multi‑stakeholder coalitions, and funders collaboratives — and has particular interest in the connections between the environmental and human health. Her current work spans enteric and diarrheal diseases, immunization, and environmental surveillance.
Prior to joining Kinaura, Kristen served as director of the City University of New York’s Institute for Health Equity, where she developed a multi‑year research initiative to examine social determinants of health and environmental drivers of persistently high infant mortality in the South Bronx. She began her career at the United Nations Association and the United Nations Foundation, supporting advocacy and education programs as editor for education.
Kristen holds an MPH from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a BA in political science from Haverford College. She has lived or worked in the United States, Uganda, Germany, and Nepal.
Outside of work, Kristen enjoys traveling with her family and playing on her local soccer team.
