Kristene grew up with cats, dogs, lizards, salamanders, frogs, hamsters, and many other species of animals. She always knew she wanted to work with animals in some form. She spent several years working as a zookeeper, and from there, her love of animals grew even stronger. Working at Alpine has not only fostered her continued love of animals, but has also given her an appreciation for helping owners. Her favorite thing about work is seeing the joy and appreciation on owners’ faces when she and her team can find a solution to their patient’s problems.
Kristene’s animals are her pride and joy. Ranger is a red heeler who came to her as a rescue. He’s smart, energetic, and incredibly handsome. He loves walks, playing fetch, and snuggling. Storm is a giant schnauzer who she adopted as a rehoming rescue. She is a sweet girl who knows lots of tricks, loves to play, and is full of mischief. Kristene also has two cats. Nero is a black cat who found Kristene as a tiny five week old kitten who had been dumped off at a neighbor’s house with a terrible respiratory infection. After nursing her back to health, Kristene was in love, and decided to keep her. Despite being a stereotypical cat who is fiercely independent and doesn’t need anybody, Kristene loves her. Biscuit was originally a feral cat, who turned into a squishy marshmallow of a housecat who absolutely loves the dogs. He loves to soak in the sun, and lie on anybody’s feet who sits still long enough for him to find.
At home, Kristene finds joy in spending time with her two amazing sons. They keep her on her toes, and she can’t imagine her life without them. She loves to hike, camp, and spend time on the water. She has also developed a passion for repurposing furniture, and can often be spotted at thrift stores and yard sales on the hunt for her next project. She loves taking something old, and turning it into something completely new.
