Kristie was born in Compton, California and raised in Newport Beach. She attended the Art Institute of Chicago where she earned a BFA in 2001. Her life is warmed by her cats (Monkey, Rina and Kazimir) and 3 “Russian” Chihuahuas: Gorky, Odessa and Leonid.
Since 1987 Kristie has worked with animals, and her job satisfaction comes from being able to witness the love that people share with their pets. "Create the world you want to live in" exemplifies her life, her favorite word is bubele, and she dislikes any word that portrays meanness. It took a while for Kristie to come up with the one craziest thing she had ever done (she had so many to choose from), but in the end she decided upon the times she volunteered as an assistant during autopsies.