KRISTINE ESSER SLENTZ is originally from northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area, or what’s lovingly called “The Region.” Kristine is a Purdue University alum who studied English literature and creative writing. After college, she began working in the digital marketing field to marry her experience in both writing and advertising. She started in search engine optimization (SEO) and soon transitioned into content marketing. Currently, Kristine is earning her MFA in creative writing (poetry) at City College of New York. She is also the Assistant Editor for the online poetry publication Unfold Magazine, and the Features Manager for the poet's community The Harbor through The Speakeasy Project. Her poetry has appeared in Yes Poetry, Moonchild Magazine, and then Flying Island Journal where she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.