Kris grew up on a farm of sorts in Wilson, NY, a small town upstate with four seasons, but more winter than summer. She attributes her creative self to her mother and the analytical to her father, who also blessed her with the Salvatore's patented sense of humor.
After studying Computer Graphic Design, Photography, and IT at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Kris spent many years working for several top ad agencies, first in Rochester, NY (Saatchi and Saatchi Worldwide), then on Long Island, NY. She moved to the island in 1999 and quickly found herself on the East End, drawn to the picturesque countryside and water views that reminded her of her hometown.
On the East End, her skills in Project Management, Marketing, and IT were most in demand, however her creative self was easily satiated as she always found time for her art. Until recently, she supported 23 offices and a staff of more than 500 as Director of IT for the prestigious Allan M. Schneider Associates Real Estate in the booming luxury real estate business of the Hamptons.
Today, with the days of world-class advertising design, record-breaking luxury real estate and celebrity sightings behind her, she's about to begin a new chapter -- the most fulfilling yet -- which brings to mind the words of Steve Jobs during his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford...
"You've got to find what you love. ... Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. ... So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. ... Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
Here's a few of the things that Kris enjoys and make her whole...
- Project management
- Photography
- Nature and the environment
- Graphic design
- Painting
- Writing
- Motorcycles (Yes, she rides a Harley)
If she could find a position project managing the design and photography of motorcycles and painting on them in a shop in the woods... she'd be set!