Kristy is a human security specialist who explores how development shapes societal outcomes, with particular attention to the resilience and strength of individuals and communities. Through applied research and field work, she examines how communities adapt to complex social challenges, focusing on pathways to empowerment rather than barriers to progress. Her work incorporates justice and rights-based approaches to development, emphasizing the role of local knowledge and community-driven solutions in both development and humanitarian contexts.

Her experience spans academic institutions, civil society organizations, research institutes, international organizations, and government agencies across multiple regions. She has worked extensively in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, with significant experience in Bhutan, where she established the research center at Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law and closely collaborated with a civil society organization devoted to gender and the prevention of domestic violence.

Recently relocated to the United States from Seoul, South Korea, Kristy continues her work as a development consultant and lecturing at the University of Passau. She holds a Master's degree from The Fletcher School at Tufts University.