Arts journalism
Kristen is an arts journalist and theatre critic for Vanguard Culture.
She began her writing journey with a weekly humor column for San Diego State University’s newspaper while earning her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts.
She was named The Daily Aztec’s Most Valuable Features Writer and Columnist of the Year, and the San Diego Press Club’s 2010 non-daily Columnist of the Year.
After graduation and a season writing for The San Diego Business Journal, Kristen worked at San Diego Repertory Theatre until she began publishing with Vanguard Culture in 2014.
Kristen still writes humor, most recently in Finding My Mom Voice, a short memoir published in the International Memoir Writers Association 2026 anthology.
Work and Awards
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VANGUARD CULTURE is an inclusive 501(c)3 nonprofit arts magazine dedicated to advancing San Diego’s creative workforce. Kristen has contributed since 2014, winning multiple awards as a theatre critic and arts journalist.
Kristen’s Vanguard Culture archive -
Kristen’s Vanguard Culture artist profile column, ART SEEN, was awarded Best Feature Series by the San Diego Press Club in 2022.
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Sept 2024 - Theatrical Review: SDMT’s Stripped-Down Sweeney Todd Cuts Deep
June 2024 - Live Performance Review: San Diego Opera Offers a Double Pour of Catharsis
2022 - ART SEEN Features Series of the Year
June 2022 - Theatrical Review: Lempika - A Triad of Love, Beauty, and Art Disrupted by War, Aging, and Possession
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