Kirsten is an independent photojournalist and educator. She is a contributor to The New York Times, The Washington Post and National Geographic.
She is best known for her documentation of immigration and law enforcement on the US/Mexico border and a cover story for National Geographic looking at the dark side of wildlife tourism. She began her career at American newspapers The Monitor in McAllen, TX, and The Birmingham News in Alabama and remains a huge proponent of community-based journalism. She has received awards and grants from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Pictures of the Year International, Getty Grant for Editorial Photography, Creative Review and others.
Her work has been exhibited in Harvard Art Museums, USA, Visa Pour l’image, France, Photoville, USA, National Geographic Explorer’s Festival, USA, National Gallery of Canada, Museion di Bolzano, Italy, and the walls of the United States Senate.
Previously, she was an adjunct professor of photojournalism at New York University and adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University. She has also taught photojournalism at Foundry Photojournalism Workshops and National Geographic Photo Camps around the world.
Spring 2025 EMR teaching:
EMR 168: Narrating the Border: Migration and Media | Wednesdays 9:45-11:45 AM.