Encouragement, enthusiasm and participation of active class discussions are what Professor Kristie West brings to her class daily.
She prides herself in being open to new ideas and being a good listener. Born in Orange County and later moving to Placerville at age eight, she grew up sharing a close bond with her twin sister that continues to this day.
"I was raised in a fairly conservative home, which guides my values today," West said in an email interview.
West attended several colleges, which includes Pacific Union College, Bakersfield Community College, and American River College.
She received her B.A. in journalism with a minor in government from Sacramento State University.
"While at American River College, I took a news writing class to fill out one of my electives," West said. "The professor must have seen something in me and recommended that I do an internship at KCRA-TV. I reluctantly agreed, as my major was physical therapy. Within a week of the internship, I had changed my major to journalism. I always loved writing and getting a small taste of what journalists did just hooked me."
After West graduated from CSUS she found a career in Durango, Colorado as a television anchor and reporter.
For the next seven years she worked for CBS and NBC affiliate stations in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
As a reporter, West came across a lot of stories that she says broke her heart.
"Within a short time, from the beginning my career, I was one of the first people on the scene of a DUI crash. No one survived and the scene will forever be embedded in my mind. I had to walk away from the scene for a few minutes after seeing an infant who had been thrown from the car," West said. "I grew up quickly as a recent college graduate who had an 'I can change the world mentality.' I learned a lot about who I was as an individual and my boundaries. Although I loved being a reporter and met some amazing people, I am glad to not have to deal with the constant bad news in this world and have a greater appreciation for my solid upbringing and my current stability."
In 2000, leaving television news behind her, she came back to Sacramento and was hired by CRC as the full time Public Information Officer. In 2006 she received her M.S. from North Dakota State University, and has been teaching classes at CRC when needed ever since.
"I'm definitely a California girl!" West said. "I learned a lot from living outside my home state and believed I received a greater knowledge and understanding of those that don't have the same diverse environment as we do."
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