Kris was born and raised in a small northern Iowa farm community. She earned a B.S. in TV/Radio Broadcasting, an M.A. in Leadership, and served six years with the US Air Force in logistics.

In 2005, Kris started her travel career as a National Park camping guide. She quickly realized how much she likes her creature comforts, so she transitioned to leading luxury motorcoach tours of the National Parks as a Travel Director. She also spent two years in the office of an international travel company as a Media Manager. In 2023, she embarked on the next chapter of her travel career as an Interpretive National Park Ranger.

When Kris is not on the road, she resides in Austin, Texas, where she spends her time socializing with friends, playing sports, volunteering, and planning her next travel adventure.