Kristie Fink is the executive director of the Utah Coalition for Civic, Character and Service Learning and coordinates the activities and outreach of the Coalition, including the annual Dialogue on Democracy. She is the former executive director of Community of Caring in Washington, D.C., was recruited by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and worked for the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. She is the former director of Community of Caring at the University of Utah. She was the character education and service learning state specialist at the Utah State Office of Education, and was the first person in the nation to serve as a full-time character educator in a state department of education. She was also a junior high and high school teacher for 22 years, teaching English, drama, speech, journalism, literature, reading and gifted and talented programs. She holds a B.A. in English, an M.A. in Education with an emphasis in theatre and English, a teaching certificate and administrative supervisory license. She has served as an officer on the board of directors for the Character Education Partnership in Washington, D.C., and currently serves on the Education Advisory Council. She has chaired the Blue Ribbon Panel for the National Schools of Character program, and chairs the board for the Salt Lake Center for Engaging Community. She co-authored "Making Character Education a Standard Part of Education" with Linda McKay for the Character Education Partnership, wrote "Promoting Character Education" for Glencoe-McGraw-Hill, and consulted with Turner Learning and the Cartoon Network on "Animate Your World: Shaping Character." She was recently selected for publication in the "Best of Character" 20 year anniversary edition for the Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character at Boston University. She has received many teaching and service awards, including awards presented by Sargent Shriver and former First Lady of Utah Jacalyn Leavitt. She has spoken widely on character education and service learning across the U.S. and Canada.

Kristin D. Fink, Executive Director
Utah Coalition for Civic, Character and Service Learning
Utah Law and Justice Center
645 South 200 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
o-801-531-9077
c-801-916-2026
kristindfink@yahoo.com