Kristy Higares

Kristy Higares is an educator, writer, and arts administrator who’s worked for over twenty years serving schools and communities in Oakland. She’s inspired by the intersection of arts, education, community, and impact. Her passion and vision have been motivated by her work with Bay Area teens at The Crucible, an industrial art school in West Oakland, where she worked for twelve years.

In 2010, Kristy was honored with a Jefferson Award in Public Service, for her work at The Crucible, which included managing educational programs, teambuilding, volunteer and workforce development programs, studio operations, public art, and events.

She was an YBCA Equity Fellow in 2016, and created a photojournalism exhibit, interviewing and documenting residents in Oakland, along International Boulevard. Kristy enjoys working with her fellow artists, educators, and activists, to bring relevant and innovative new programs to the greater Bay Area. In 2017, Kristy was selected as a fellow through the University of Pennsylvania, Executive Leadership Program to explore Arts and Culture Strategy.

Kristy was born at Highland Hospital, and returned back to Oakland, nineteen years later to go to UC Berkeley. She’s proud of her deep knowledge of taco trucks, thrift stores, and Oakland’s musical history.