In 1981, she joined Charlie Kassinger Band and was bitten by the "big band bug". When Charlie retired in 1988, she assumed leadership of the band and renamed it the Crystal Swing Band. The band specializes in the big band music of the 1930's and 1940's era. Since its inception, the band has developed a steady performance schedule, including the Boulder Creek Festival, the Louisville Fourth of July concerts, Concerts in the Park series throughout the metropolitan area, festivals, numerous wedding receptions, private parties and dances. The band is currently featured at The Mercury Cafe in Denver the first Thursday of every month for dancing. This Spring, the band completed their first collaborative project, the highly acclaimed "Swing, Swing, Swing: An evening of Low Swinging Trapezes and Live Big Band Music" with local dance company Frequent Flyers Productions and vocalist Wendy Hairston.

In 1994, Kristin co-founded the Vibe Tribe, a Dixieland band, with vibraphonist Rick Weingarten. This band has been featured at the Boulder Friends of Jazz Dixieland concerts, the Louisville Fourth of July, County fairs, Colorado Rockies games, and Concerts in the Parks series.

Kristin is a member of Swing, Inc., a big band based in Thornton, and the Denver Concert Band. She also freelances with numerous Dixieland and jazz bands in the area, and has recorded with the Pearl Street Jazz Band. She is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and has served on the board of the Boulder Friends of Jazz.

She received a B.S. degree in Business from CU. She has attended the Mile High Jazz Camp, the Yamaha Drum Set Workshop, and studies with some of the top drummers in the country through private lessons and drum clinics. Her favorite drummers are Gene Krupa, Louis Bellson, Roy Haynes, Jeff Hamilton and Butch Miles. In her spare time she is Director of Macky Auditorium at CU.