Meet Kristien – Grant Halliburton Foundation’s office administrator.

Kristien came to Grant Halliburton Foundation first as a mom in need of support for her child struggling with mental health issues. Passionate about the cause, she began volunteering at the Foundation weekly as a way to give back and to support other Coffee Days moms and families with their struggles. Kristien coordinates clerical and administrative tasks and supports other staff as needed for events and conferences.

Here are 10 things to know about Kristien!

1. What was your first job?
My first job was working for a babysitting service in my hometown in Belgium in the evenings and on weekends. Several families asked me back numerous times, so I guess I did a good job.  During the last summer of my employment, I was asked to take on a special job. Special in the sense that this was not babysitting children but taking care of a 40-year-old man with Down syndrome and his 80-year-old mother struggling with dementia. The mother could no longer care for him by herself, and her daughter and son-in-law had moved in with them. The daughter and her husband had a vacation planned but could not leave them alone for two weeks. That’s where I came in. I was there during the day, and a neighbor stayed with them at night. It was an interesting two weeks, and afterward, I was asked back for a day or an evening from time to time.

2. What’s your guilty pleasure?
Does enjoying a chai tea latte qualify as a guilty pleasure? I also like collecting cross-stitch magazines. No person needs that many! So, yes, that one definitely counts as a guilty pleasure for me.

3. What advice would you give to your teenage self?
I’m the oldest child with three sisters and no brothers. I was always very much a rule follower, which paved the way for my more adventurous sisters. I probably would encourage my teenage self to rebel a little, be more daring, and if not break a rule, at least bend it a bit.

4. What’s your favorite movie scene and why?
One of my favorite movie scenes is from quite early in “Titanic” starring Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet. It’s the moment when the film takes you back in time, and the people start arriving to embark on the Titanic. Rose (Kate Winslet) and her mother arrive in a magnificent car on the quay in Southampton with an enormous amount of luggage. Rose gets out of the car, her head bent so you can see the top of her hat. Then, she slowly lifts her head at an angle to look at the ship. That is one of my favorite film moments. I’m not sure why. It’s just such a beautiful scene. Her hat is magnificent, and she is gorgeous. It always gives me goosebumps.

5. What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
It may surprise people to know I'm pretty competitive deep down. Still, I don't like how that makes me feel, so I don't put myself in a competitive situation if I can help it.

6. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
My autobiography would be called “Motherhood: My Wish, My Destiny, and My Purpose.”  Yes, it sounds pretty pompous, but your autobiography title should grab one’s attention, right?

7. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
I like reading and belonging to a book club where we actually discuss the books we read and may or may not have finished. I also enjoy watching a series or movie on any screen and on all the platforms where you can access a movie or show. I like all sorts of needlework, such as cross stitching, crocheting, and knitting, all of which I learned as a young child at home or school.

When we get together with family, we like to play all sorts of games and cards. We have a preferred card game in our family called Kingen (I have no idea where that name originated), which is not dissimilar to Whist. You can play it with three or four players. We have notebooks to keep score and are now on notebook seven. It’s not uncommon to send a photo of a score sheet to the rest of the family to be studied and discussed. Kingen, after all, is serious business!

8. What are your top three TV shows you’re streaming right now?
A daily staple in my TV-watching diet is “Jeopardy,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and, once a week, “The Graham Norton Show.” I know I already named three shows, but I need to say I’m eagerly awaiting the new seasons of “Call the Midwife” and “Dr. Who.”

9. Where’s your favorite travel destination and why?
My favorite travel destination is Belgium because it will always be home.

10. Why is Grant Halliburton Foundation’s mission important to you?
I came to Grant Halliburton more than a decade ago. I had heard Vanita speak at a parent presentation at a Frisco ISD event where she mentioned Coffee Days, the Foundation’s support group for moms who have children struggling with their mental health. Coffee Days was such an enormous fountain of support during that time, which I called our 24/7 crisis mode. I don’t know where we would be without it.

When my child was starting to get better - three steps forward, two steps back - I felt I needed to try and give back, so I began volunteering at the Foundation. That involvement grew into where I am now as a part-time staff member. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity. In my small way, I try to spread the word that there is hope and help available and that you don’t have to shoulder the burden alone. Now more than ever, children, teens, and young adults must be supported to grow up physically and mentally healthy adults. To do this, we need to get out there and tell parents, teachers, counselors, and therapists about the resources and tools available to them. They need to know that they’re not alone in their struggle to help the youth in their lives.