Kris is a native Californian and San Diego County resident for over 30 years. Her focus at Youth Assistance Coalition is helping youth achieve their educational goals. Kris has years of experience working with teenagers and young adults. She volunteered at a drop in center for youth experiencing homelessness. As a founding member of Youth Assistance Coalition, Kris engages in street outreach, mentoring, and tutoring. She has taught university lab courses, mentored graduate students, and served as an advisor on thesis committees. Kris has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from the University of California, Davis and a PhD in Biology from the University of California, Riverside. As an ecologist, she studies rare, threatened and endangered species in Southern California.