Meet the CKM Team

Kristina (she, her, hers) comes from a large, close-knit family with roots in Texas, Cuba, and Spain. She is a Chicagoland local who was a commuter student for the entirety of her collegiate career. She is passionate about working with first-generation college students and supporting the leadership development of women of color within higher education. Kristina’s research passions include Latinx college student leadership development, commuter student sense of belonging, cultural values clashing, and campus racial climate.

As a queer, Black, Woman of Color, Paige (she, her, hers) takes interest in scholar-practitioner work that centers intersectional identity development among students, staff, and faculty in higher education and student affairs. Her passions for solidarity and liberatory praxis mirror the love, support and advocacy she received from prominent Women of Color professionals in student affairs. Inspired by the African proverb, Ubuntu, “I am, because we are,” Paige strives to build community, foster resilience and share experiential knowledge with those who hold marginalized identities.

Pearl (she, her, hers) attended three different institutions during her four years of her undergraduate career and two during her graduate career, and now proudly teaches at a public community college. Her journey through American and British educational institutions taught her much about what supports students and what challenges them. As a college administrator, she learned compassion for everyone in education: students, faculty, and staff. Her passions include contemplative practices and pedagogy, social justice, and literature.