MEET
DR KRISTIN HOOK.
Native Texan. Award-Winning Scientist. Changemaker.
WHERE I COME FROM.
“I’m a third generation Texan and come from a long line of strong Texas women.”
I grew up in a working-class family in South Texas, but my fondest memories as a child were spent in the Hill Country. I was raised by a single mother, a strong and kind Texas woman who taught me to be persistent and hard-working. My dedicated father stayed close by, and he instilled in me a love of nature and an activist spirit. From an early age, I had an aptitude for learning, love for animals, and always had a desire to stand up for the underdog.
A THRIVING CAREER.
“Education changed my life. But it became more than a way out for me, it became a way to give back.”
“I have the policy and leadership experience for this position, but most importantly I have the passion.”
Despite my blue-collar background, I was determined to get a college education and, in 2002, was accepted to the University of Texas at Austin. Thanks to scholarships, Pell grants, and loans, I was able to afford it. While in college, I discovered my passion for biology, even though I had never known a scientist growing up and all of my professors were men. In 2007, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Plan II Honors (a liberal arts program) and a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior).
“I knew I wanted to be the first in my family to get a PhD, but I also felt compelled to fight for educational equity for under-served communities like my own.”
After graduating from U.T., I spent three years serving as a middle school science teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y. through Teach for America before following my love of science and attending graduate school. In 2016, I earned my PhD in Animal Behavior from Cornell University, where I focused on reproductive biology.
I then started a postdoc at the University of Maryland to deepen my science training and expertise.
While in DC, I watched in horror as the Trump administration attacked science, women, marginalized groups, and our democracy. I became a grassroots organizer for women scientists in the DC area to promote science and evidence-based policy. When the pandemic hit, studying sperm cells under a microscope seemed less important than making sure science was being clearly understood by policymakers. Again feeling called to public service, I left the lab and started a career in federal policy.
“I strongly believe that our government can be a powerful force for good for all working families.”
I spent a year as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow working in the office of Senator Elizabeth Warren and then for the National Institutes of Health. The last two years, I served as a biologist at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, where I helped educate Congress on emerging science and tech issues, developed policy recommendations, and helped ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
Remote work at the GAO allowed me to finally return home to Texas in early 2022, but I came home to a very different Texas. Like so many others, I do not feel that I am being represented by our policymakers, and I am worried for my friends, family, and neighbors. I want to live in a Texas where everyone has the same opportunity to reach their full potential. I am running for office to be a voice for women's rights and to fight for working-class Texas families like my own. I couldn't be more proud of the other optimists out there who see a better Texas on the horizon. I hope you'll join us.