Meet Krissie VandeNoord
Krissie VandeNoord (VandeNoord means “from the north” in Dutch, by the way) puts her design and development expertise to work for clients as a Digital Strategist and UX Engineer at Fervor. Meet Krissie.
At Fervor, Krissie is: a Digital Strategist + UX Engineer. “I’m focused on the design and development of primarily websites, but really almost anything digital.” She’s always focused on making user experiences better than ever.
What and where she studied: Krissie earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from Hannibal-LaGrange University. “I was interested in teaching because of the creativity of it and wanting to do something where I was helping people,” Krissie says.
Before Fervor: It wasn’t long after she graduated that Krissie transitioned from education to design. “I learned quickly that I didn’t want to be in the classroom with 20 kids. I’d always been interested in design and so I moved into the design space right out of college.” Krissie has served many organizations with her design expertise, from agencies like VML and Honeystreet to nonprofits like Children’s Mercy and area churches.
Family: Krissie is married to Travis, and they have two children — Evie is four and Gus is one. “They are highly entertaining, never a dull moment around those two!”
A Royal celebration: Krissie and Travis are big fans of the Kansas City Royals, so when it came time to hold their rehearsal dinner, they headed straight to Kauffman Stadium. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a very rainy evening. “It was a total monsoon! They were huddling us in the tornado shelter areas in the bathrooms because it was so bad. The game got cancelled, but it was a memorable experience!”
A community she loves: Much of Krissie’s extended family lives here in town, and they love spending time together. “I was an aunt for a long time before I became a mom, so that’s really important to me. I have 13 nieces and nephews!” But here’s the more impressive number — Krissie has 12 siblings! Three are blood-related, one is a half-sibling and the other eight are step-siblings. Although they’re spread out across the country, it’s fun when everyone gets together in the same spot.
Favorite KC restaurant: That’s an easy one — Krissie loves Gram & Dun. “It’s a real treat when we get to go.”
Favorite place for a beverage test: Krissie loves Homer’s Coffee in Overland Park. “You have to get the Thai Supreme,” Krissie says. “It’s essentially a latte, but instead of milk, it’s made with cream and sweetened condensed milk. It’s amazing!”
Favorite reads: Before she married Travis, she rarely read fiction. “But Travis, as an English teacher, got me really into reading. He’s always getting me new books!” She loves Harry Potter, Divergent, the Hunger Games and many more. Most recently, she enjoyed Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
Favorite TV shows: Krissie enjoyed Lost, and right now, she and Travis are loving The Walking Dead. “I’m not into the gore, but the story is so good. It’s all about how a community of people is surviving.”
Digs Fervor because: “It’s the people,” Krissie says, without a doubt. “It’s the clients and the other people I get to work with. It’s just a day and night difference from anywhere else I’ve worked.”
Fervor wouldn’t be Fervor without . . . Krissie’s design intuition: “I love it when I get to use my design instinct to serve people.”