Kirsten’s first day at kindergarten at YSD
How long have you worked for Yakima School District?
I began my journey with YSD in May 2015 and am now in my 10th school year.
How did you get started with Communications?
My first career was as the office manager for a real estate firm in Reno, NV, which led to a position with Gannett Corporation taking their first newspaper (Reno Gazette-Journal) online. That role sparked my interest in internet marketing and grew into positions in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles during the dot-com boom—a wild and exciting time!
Eventually, I returned home to Yakima to raise a family and worked in tourism marketing in the wine industry. When YSD needed to modernize its website and online presence, I was encouraged to apply for the role as a long-time school PR professional was retiring. It was a full-circle moment for me, as a K-12 alum, resident, voter, and now employee of the district I’m proud to serve.
What is a project or campaign that you’re particularly proud of?
I am incredibly proud of the team I work with—they are hardworking, positive, and leaders in their respective fields. Our partnership with ESD 112 adds even more synergy to an amazing group of communications, language access, and engagement professionals who handle a huge volume of work with professionalism and grace. Every campaign or project we take on together becomes my new favorite.
One project that is uniquely personal to me is the Yamate Japanese Exchange. When I first stepped into this role, my predecessor urged me not to let the program falter. At the time, Japan wasn’t even on my bucket list. Fast forward to now, I’ve coordinated hundreds of student visits from Japan, hosted many in my home, and taken Yakima students on cultural trips that have completely transformed their perspectives. Japan and its culture have become a part of my soul, and the Yamate Japanese Exchange will always hold a special place in my heart.
Japanese students visit Yakima
What are your favorite AI tools and how do you use them in your workday?
ChatGPT is my personal go-to tool, and our department also leads translation efforts with an AI platform called Pairaphrase. I jumped on ChatGPT early and quickly expanded my efforts through training with School PR AI Pro Becca Bultsma. Since then, I haven’t stopped using it—not even for a day! While I’ve dabbled with other platforms, ChatGPT is the tool I know like the back of my hand.
The timing of my early exposure to ChatGPT has been critical. I was well-versed with it before our team experienced resource reductions, and it has been a lifesaver. ChatGPT allows me and my team to achieve more while maintaining quality and focus, even in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
How do you see AI shaping the field of school communications?
School communications and PR professionals in Washington State have embraced AI tools like ChatGPT, shaping our industry in profound ways. This early exposure has made us quick to understand and apply AI across various platforms. Ask a school PR pro about large language models, AI hallucinations, or why ChatGPT isn’t a search engine—we know.
At YSD, introducing tools like Pairaphrase when manual translation investments were reduced has demonstrated how AI can handle large volumes of work effectively. However, we also understand the critical need for quality assurance to truly maximize AI’s efficiencies.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved creating efficiencies in work, home projects, daily tasks, and even spaces (as you’ll see below with my furniture-moving obsession). Tools like ChatGPT and Pairaphrase feed that part of my soul while helping my team thrive in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment.
Kirsten and husband Pat in Japan (Chinatown)
How do you decompress after a long day?
I unwind in ways many people can relate to—going for walks, listening to music or podcasts, or laughing at Instagram reels. My nightly exchange of cute animal reels with my best friends is a tradition I cherish.
But I also have some uniquely “Kirsten” ways of relaxing. I’m obsessed with rearranging spaces in my home, often moving furniture monthly (or weekly!) for a fresh perspective. It’s so relaxing to me, even though my husband occasionally wakes up to find a room completely transformed overnight (and yes, I do have lower back issues—I wonder why!).
Another escape is setting the table. I love spending hours creating modern, fun tablescapes to entertain friends and family. Lastly, I’m a huge fan of time-travel movies and shows. Pair one with popcorn and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and I’m in my happy place. Know any good time travel shows? I’m always looking for new ones!
