Hi! I’m Kristin Thomas Sancken, a writer based out of Charlottesville, Virginia, where I live with my husband, two kids, and zealous Golden Retriever.
I was born in Panama and raised in Mexico. Today, my kids don’t speak a lick of Spanish. Our roots are straddled across the east coast and the midwest of the United States.
EDUCATION
Looking back, I see the thread of my two vocations – to be of service, and to read and write. My undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University was a dual major in International Service and the Humanities. After college, I spent several years helping Latino families navigate the American public school and mental health systems before going back to school for a Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. I worked as a freelance writer at a rural weekly newspaper while completing my MSW coursework. My combination of skills allowed me to lead communications for a children’s welfare non-profit. The pandemic led me down a path of contemplation, particularly examining how the generational trauma we carry from our parents and grandparents forms our emotional and spiritual development. Currently, I am pursuing those questions as a Doctorate of Ministry candidate at Western Theological Seminary in “The Sacred Art of Writing.”
AWARDS
I have won a variety of awards for my writing, including: