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Overview

Kristina assists our attorneys in advising higher education clients on athletics-related compliance.

A former undergraduate tennis player, Kristina firmly believes that college athletics made her who she is today, teaching her life skills she still relies on. Out of a desire to protect that experience for future generations, she enrolled in Marquette University Law School’s sports law program, interned with the NCAA, and accepted a position after graduation in compliance for the Big Ten Conference. Kristina later joined the compliance offices of Rutgers University Athletics and Northwestern University’s Department of Athletics & Recreation, where she saw firsthand how regulations play out in real life for student athletes and their coaches and schools.

Seeking an opportunity for a broader impact on multiple higher education institutions, Kristina joined the firm in 2024. She assists clients with athletics compliance reviews, NCAA infractions, student athlete relations, Title IX questions, and various hot topics in university athletics, such as name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules. Kristina loves supporting compliance offices like the ones where she launched her career, and she finds it immensely rewarding to help those still in the daily trenches of university athletics.

In addition to her university experience, Kristina has also served on NCAA committees and been a part of conversations leading up to significant rule changes. She offers a helpful perspective on where the industry is headed, and her time at Rutgers and Northwestern ensures that she grasps the real-world impact of compliance regulations. Kristina has been in clients’ shoes, and she understands how difficult their work is. Kristina’s goal is always to apply a solutions-based approach, be as useful as possible to clients, and ensure that clients leave each conversation feeling encouraged.

Industry

Service

Recognition

  • NAAC Rising Star, 2017

Education

  • M.B.A., Rutgers Business School
  • J.D., Marquette University Law School
    • Sports Law Certificate, National Sports Law Institute
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate
    • Marquette Sports Law Review

Admissions

  • Wisconsin

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Return of Inclusion (ROI) Inclusive Leader Certificate, 2023
  • Executive Circle for Women Leaders in Sports, Co-chair, 2023-present
  • National Association of Athletic Compliance (NAAC), 3rd Vice President, 2023-2024
  • NCAA Division I Committee for Legislative Relief, Vice Chair, 2020-2024
  • NAAC Membership & Awards Committee, Vice Chair, 2018-2021

Languages

  • Spanish, conversational
Experience

While on staff at Northwestern University

  • Coordinated risk management initiatives in collaboration with Office of Government Relations, Office of General Counsel, and University Compliance.
  • Led Athletic Compliance Office and managed compliance matters for 500+ student-athletes and 200+ staff.
  • Led the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Assessment & Evaluation Advisory Group, focusing on ongoing assessment and evaluation of department climate, practices, and policies.
  • Served as the sport administrator for men's and women's tennis, and men's soccer, which included managing policy decisions, budget, and disciplinary issues involving student-athletes and/or staff.
  • Led department name, image, and likeness (NIL) efforts, which included creating a cross-campus NIL Task Force and drafting Northwestern's NIL Policy and strategic plan.
Webinar | February 29, 2024
Athletics on an Axis
Speaking Engagements | October 2023
Panelist, "Division I Townhall," Women Leaders in Sport
Outside the Office

Kristina describes herself as the adventurous friend—she’s the one you can always count on to say yes to a new experience. She may work in risk management, but she’s never afraid to take a risk personally, and she’s agreed to everything from trying a barbecued scorpion in Cambodia to bungee jumping in New Zealand. (She recommends the bungee jumping, but not so much the scorpion.)

A world traveler, Kristina is always up for a trip to somewhere she’s never been—the more unknown, the better. She first caught the travel bug during a semester abroad in Granada, Spain, where she fell in love with the experience of immersing herself in a new culture.

Kristina is also a music junkie who is always up to see any band or artist live.

Community Leadership

Kristina and her family administer the Kevin Minor Legacy Fund, an annual scholarship fund established in honor of Kristina’s late father. The fund supports the training and travel for a female, Midwest-based tennis player under the age of 14. Kristina has greatly enjoyed the opportunity to give back and promote girls’ participation in sport.

In 2024, Kristina and her family were honored as Family of the Year by the United States Tennis Association.