Kristen L. Rouse is an advocate, community-builder, and independent consultant with deep knowledge on a range of issues, including veterans’ advocacy, security and emergency preparedness, and political coalition building. She has been sought out for her expertise on veteran and military issues, with essays published in The New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, Daily Beast, and Tampa Bay Times, and appearances on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, Fox News, VICE News, BBC, NPR, and other networks. Kristen has served in the US Army, US Army Reserve, and Army National Guard for more than three decades, including three tours of duty in Afghanistan and active service in support of the Department of Defense’s national COVID-19 vaccination mission. Her military roles have included mission planning for resupply convoys to remote combat outposts in eastern Afghanistan and working directly with the Afghan National Army. She has served the veterans community as Founder of NYC Veterans Alliance, where she spearheaded legislative campaigns that have benefited and brought greater recognition to veterans and their families, including establishing and funding an independent Department of Veterans’ Services for NYC, adding protection of military and veteran status to NYC’s Human Rights Law, and naming Manhattan’s VA hospital in honor of Revolutionary War veteran Margaret Cochran Corbin. She additionally served for three years as Deputy Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, creating the agency’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion programming to improve inclusivity in services, outreach, and recognition for all veterans and their families across the State of New York. She has served in board, staff, volunteer, and consulting roles with numerous veterans’ organizations. Outside of her roles in the military and veterans’ spaces, her professional experience has included creating regional and citywide logistics plans and programs for NYC’s Office of Emergency Management, teaching literature and writing as an adjunct professor, and managing a district office for a Member of Congress. Originally from Florida, Kristen has made Brooklyn her home for eighteen years. She is a firm believer in the restorative and therapeutic qualities of outdoor activities for veterans. She is an avid runner who has completed two NYC Marathons and she enjoys exploring NYC’s parks and coastal waterways. She is an alumnus of the Colorado Outward Bound School’s veterans program, a transformative experience following her third combat deployment. She has hiked, camped, and explored public lands in 31 states and looks forward to visiting more outdoor spaces across our beautiful nation.