Krista Neis and Tita Flores collaboration Neis

Krista Perry Neis, biography

Krista’s earliest memories are of time spent at her parents’ sides. Her father was educated as a scientist, studied at MIT, awarded honorary degrees, and served for years as the editor of the journal of the Science Writers of America. Her mother was the assistant to the editor of The Astrophysical Journal. Writing is in her genes.

She and her mother explored several areas of applied arts together: gardening design and flower arranging, tactile antique and folk art collecting from the American Southwest, and worldwide, especially Russian and Asian.

She and her husband, a criminal defense attorney, share a lifelong commitment to the unheard voices of those whose lives include time spent as incarcerated people.

Krista’s paid career exploration and education came in several experiences.

For almost twenty years, she was based at health care institutions in Tucson, Arizona, employed as the hospitals’ writer, marketer and media relations representative, where she was awarded national recognition for creative community outreach programs.

Lured away by higher education, Krista became the institutional voice for what was then the fifth-largest multi-campus community college in the nation. Tucson’s Pima Community College was profound and life-changing, whose instructors and students found a place forever in her heart. For here were the populations the school served: many first generation college attendees, differently-abled individuals, refugees from countries near and far, Hispanic, veteran and Indigenous people.

And formerly incarcerated people desperate to start over.

An accretion like no other.

1) Poetry Collaboration with anonymous mentee "Bill" - entry sent via email to Cathy on 7/21/24.

2) Artist Collaboration entry with collaborator Rosa Maria Martinez Flores (aka Tita Flores) - entry of two pieces sent via email to Cathy on 7/21/24.

AZ

USA