My Name Is…
Kris Alexander, and I'm deeply passionate about our beautiful planet, drawing on my diverse life experiences to support the growth and upliftment of all life. I believe in living authentically, with my top values being equity, justice, beauty, environmental stewardship, and spirituality. These values guide everything I do, both personally and professionally.
My Important Life Experiences, Journeys, Challenges And Accomplishments Include…
I've been immersed in the nonprofit sector for as long as I can remember, starting as a child volunteering alongside my parents. This early exposure shaped my journey, which has taken me through various roles—teaching, working with autistic and special needs individuals, serving in hospitals, and engaging with churches and spiritual communities. Over the past 15 years, I've developed expertise as a Curriculum Developer, creating, teaching, and implementing educational programs for children, teens, and adults. My passion lies in designing engaging, thought-provoking, and impactful learning experiences that foster individual and communal growth and evolution.
In addition to my work with Circles, I'm an ordained minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, where I have the privilege of creating educational resources for an international audience. As a minister, I’m dedicated to building intentional communities where everyone feels they belong and are supported in ways that truly work for them. Pastoral care is close to my heart, especially being with people as they pass away and supporting individuals through the toughest times in their lives. I consider it a profound honor to witness and support others during challenging moments, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity.
On a personal note, I identify as neuroqueer, with dual ADHD and CPTSD diagnoses that keep me on my toes. Most days, I’m thankful for my neurospicy brain, which gives me a unique lens to see what could be and how to get there.
I’m also queer and use they/them and she/her pronouns (feel free to use both). I’m married to a wonderful transmasculine nonbinary human who adds so much joy and meaning to my life. We have an adorable dog, B, and a troublemaker of a cat, Charlie. I also have a 17-year-old son starting his senior year of high school this year.
I love all water-related activities, including paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming, tubing, hiking to waterfalls, and going to the ocean. My spouse and I are currently training to backpack in the mountains.
Something Special You Should Know About My Region Is…
I grew up in and (after moving away and returning several times) now live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. My area is not only beautiful, but incredibly ancient and powerful. The Appalachian mountains are the oldest mountain range in the world, and their “small” stature is due to erosion; they were once much taller than the Himalayas. I also live less than a mile from the French Broad River, the third oldest in the world to only the New River and the Nile. It predates the mountains themselves and, as a result, flows through them—not down, as most mountain rivers do. Our area is home to some of the most diverse aquatic ecosystems in the world and is the only place where the hellbender, a black salamander that grows up to two feet long, can be found. I love my home!
A Major Challenge We Face In Alleviating Poverty In Our Region Is…
Living deep in the Appalachian South, we have a lot of extreme generational poverty, especially in the small towns surrounding Asheville (my home city) and in the eight Native tribes that are located here. We have incredible history and culture, with disparate living conditions for a lot of individuals.
We are also a year-round tourist destination, so our city has been bought up by developers to create short term rentals, leaving locals with just a few, massively overpriced housing options.. We also don’t have supportive labor laws, allowing companies to pay well below a living wage and provide very few hours so that they aren’t required to supply benefits. In the past, I have worked up to five part time jobs at a time, with as many as three roommates in my home. This is a typical experience for many people in the area.
Finally, because of our mild winters and Asheville’s notoriety for being a safe haven, we have a large unhoused population that travel to live here where they can be a part of a somewhat more accepting and diverse hippy community.
One Thing I Want Potential Circles Participants To Know Is…
You are a brilliant, resourceful, and valuable individual who is truly worthy of having your needs met. Your voice matters, your experiences are important, and you bring a unique perspective that can enrich the lives of others and the world. Circles is a space where your strengths will be recognized, your challenges will be supported, and your growth will be celebrated. In this organization, you are not just a participant—you are a vital leader of our community.