A third-generation Navigator and missionary kid, Kristie lived in Africa for 15 years as her parents pioneered ministries in Ghana and South Africa. She made an early confession of faith, then experienced a clear calling and lordship decision at age 13. At that time, her deepest desire became Philippians 3:7–8: “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (NIV).
Upon returning to the United States to attend Wheaton College, Kristie met her husband, Paul. She joined Navigator staff in 2001, leading a missional community on Chicago’s north side, and began serving on the “b2g” (now Navigators 20s) leadership team in 2002. During many of those years, she also worked as a labor and delivery nurse, helping deliver babies. In 2011, she and her family moved to Northern California to develop a community of believers reaching out to the San Francisco Bay area. Five years later, Kristie joined the Navigators Neighbors leadership team and, in 2018, moved to Detroit to serve as City director. After serving as co-director of Disciplemakers for Life (D4L) in 2022, she was commissioned as Mission director in 2023. In fall of 2026, she was also appointed co-director of the Ministry Expansion Team alongside Navigators Collegiate Director Ben Nugent.
Kristie and Paul are both passionate about cities, serving others, being transformed by Jesus, and sharpening one another. They have been married 28 years, lived in five states, shared 12 addresses, and driven across the continental United States six times. Paul currently works as a software engineer and manager for Ford Motor Company and dabbles in trading on the side. Together they have six children, ages 13 to 24, three cats, and a dog. (The pets were all bribes to convince the kids to make another move.)