Kristi first discovered her calling for a writing and photography career in 1999, nearly by accident, while photographing a Wilmington, North Carolina band for her college paper, The Seahawk. Within months she launched a music section in The Seahawk coined The Scene, where she covered press conferences for Dawson's Creek, Destiny's Child and interviewed artists JoyDrop, 112 and Marcy Playground - all while keeping up with local bands.

After one year at The Seahawk, Kristi was awarded the UNCW Student Media Outstanding Achievement Award for her commitment to The Scene. Shortly thereafter, she was hired as an entertainment correspondent for Wilmington's local daily paper, the Wilmington Star-News where she's written more than 200 music-related features. Her stories have included interviews with artists from all musical genres - rock, blues, country, pop, heavy metal - you name it. Some interviewees have included: The Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 3 Doors Down, Goo Goo Dolls, Shaggy, Black Eyed Peas, Kenny Chesney, John Mayer, Switchfoot, Edwin McCain, Sister Hazel, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots, Jimmy Eat World and many others. She even got to hang out with Brit boy band BBMak during a music video shoot in N.C.

Kristi continued her writing career while earning her B.A. in Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She continues to write for the Wilmington Star-News, in addition to regular contributions to The Sun News, Singer Magazine, American Songwriter, Country Weekly, The Village Idiot, Focus on the Coast and more.