MEET
DR KRISTIN HOOK.
Native Texan. Award-Winning Scientist. Problem solver.
"I'm a native Texan
and come from a
long line of strong
women."
“Being raised by a single mom who never went to college, I proudly became the first in my family to earn a PhD.”
"Education changed my life. 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."
"I strongly believe our government should be a powerful force for good for all working families."
WHERE I COME FROM.
Growing up in a mixed family in South Texas, I have witnessed the disparities in opportunities given to Hispanic and White working class-families like my own. I watched my family work hard but still struggle living paycheck to paycheck. With the help of student loans, scholarships, and Pell grants, I earned two degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. While in college, I discovered my passion for biology – even though I had never known a scientist growing up.
After graduating from college, I joined Teach For America to help address the educational inequities in our country that I personally experienced based on my zip code. I spent three years serving our country as a middle school science teacher in an underserved community in NYC before attending graduate school.
A THRIVING CAREER.
In 2016, I earned my PhD in Animal Behavior from Cornell University and moved to DC to deepen my expertise in reproductive biology as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland. I watched in despair as the Trump administration attacked science, women, marginalized communities, and democracy. I wore my lab coat by day but became a grassroots organizer for women scientists by night to push back against the Trump agenda. When the pandemic hit, I left my lab notebook behind to become a public servant in our federal government.
As a science and tech expert, I worked on a wide variety of federal policy issues while serving in the U.S. Senate (Office of Elizabeth Warren), National Institutes of Health, and the Government Accountability Office. While at the GAO, I helped make sure our taxpayer dollars are used wisely and effectively and educated Congress on emerging science and tech issues.
WHY I'M RUNNING.
I'm running for Congress to fight for working families like my own, to restore integrity to the office, and to ensure policies are driven by facts and evidence – not extremist ideologies. We deserve leaders who care about public service and a government that works for ALL OF US. With your support, I know we'll get there.