Topic: Legislative PreviewMost recently, Kristen served as Associate Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Nebraska, where she led a team responsible for advocating on behalf of the University’s interests in Lincoln, Washington, D.C., and across the state. In this role, she developed expertise in higher education finance and policy, supporting students, faculty, and researchers through complex state and federal issues. Prior to that, she served as Executive Vice President for Legislation and Policy at the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where she gained deep experience in taxation, business incentives, labor and employment law, and manufacturing policy.
Kristen’s agricultural background runs deep. As Vice President of Legal and Regulatory Affairs for Nebraska Cattlemen, she spent over five years lobbying and advising on matters impacting Nebraska’s beef producers. Her work helped shape state and federal policy concerning natural resources, environmental regulations, and agriculture law. A native of Laurel, Nebraska, Kristen’s connection to the industry is both personal and professional, as she and her family raise livestock outside of Lincoln.
Kristen holds a Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from the University of Nebraska College of Law (2011) and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with distinction, in Political Science and Economics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (2008). She is admitted to practice before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Kristen is an active member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, serves on the Agriculture Law Section committee, and is also involved in the American Bar Association and Lincoln Bar Association. She serves as a board member of Invest Nebraska and the Raymond Central Youth Sports Association and teaches pre-K Sunday School at Trinity Lutheran Church.
