Kristin was born and raised in Chicago and ventured all the way to ... beautiful Missouri for college. She graduated from Truman State University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Vocal Music in 2005. Later that year, she started her career at the Tribune Company as a production intern for the Spike O'Dell morning-drive program, where she realized getting up at 2 a.m. every day could actually be fun.

Kristin first joined the Chicago Tribune in 2006 as the Editorial Board's coordinator and in November of 2009, she teamed up with Jon Yates as the "Problem Partner" for the What's Your Problem? column. She began reporting for the business section in June 2011.