Kristina currently manages the American Tree Farm System certification program for the American Forest Foundation (AFF), supporting over 70,000 family forest owners across more than 20 million acres nationwide. In this role, Kristina is committed to the development and implementation of technological and programmatic improvements to streamline certification and improve access to traditional and non-traditional markets for private landowners across the country, utilizing project management, public speaking, data analysis, system development, and relationship development and management skills. Kristina credits her academic foundation from the Nicholas School for her abilities to collaborate with partners across industries, optimize the best available technological resources, and understand the nuances of various ecosystem services demands.

Prior to her role with AFF, Kristina worked as a forester and harvest manager for Weyerhaeuser Company managing silvicultural treatments on a 170,000 acre tree farm. She drew on this experience to serve on multiple technical teams that improved biological and financial models to optimize returns for the company. Kristina proved to be a valuable asset to Weyerhaeuser and served in additional company roles such as the Specialty Forest Products Manager, Auditor for the Environmental Management Systems and Health and Safety Teams, and Operations Representative on the Corporate Stakeholders Planning Committee. During this time, she was also selected for the Weyerhaeuser Leadership Training Program. Kristina’s experience at Weyerhaeuser prepared her to work with private landowners and other forest and wood product agencies across the country to support their sustainable forestry efforts, thereby fostering the promotion of her personal and AFF’s organizational mission of land conservation.

Kristina is thankful that her educational foundation at Duke has enabled her to provide measurable regional and national impact in landscape-scale strategic land management, specifically related to ecosystem services, water conservation, sustainable recreation, and adaptive management.