Kiersten hails from New England and is ridiculously proud of her family’s deep-rooted history in our nation’s foundation.

She is a Mayflower descendant of Governor William Bradford (c. Mar. 19, 1590 – May 09, 1657) and great-granddaughter (several generations removed, of course) of Peter Minuit (btn 1580 & 1585 – Aug. 5, 1638). The latter was the Director of the Dutch North American Colony (1626 - 1631), which was part of the Dutch East India Company, and who is credited with the so-called “purchase” of Manhattan Island. Her ancestors braved unknown dangers and a foreign world while creating treaties with the local peoples that survived for years under their leadership.

The New England tradition of planting flowerbeds in boats moored on land is in honor of Kiersten’s ancestor, Reverend Joseph Metcalf (Apr. 11, 1682 - Dec. 24, 1723).

Kiersten currently lives in upstate New York. Growing up, the Battlefields of Saratoga were her backyard and tourist sites like Fort Ticonderoga were an easy day trip, and she couldn’t have cared less back then. It wasn’t until journeying into adulthood that Kiersten grew to love books, and even then, not until she became a museum educator, that she discovered the fascinating world of history. Tasked with bringing history alive, she realized that behind each boring fact in textbooks were real people who lived and loved and dreamed and suffered losses and disappointments and helped shape the path on which we all journey. That realization turned the dreaded task of research into a compelling hobby of investigation.

In 2022, she became a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Multiple ancestors fought in America’s Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Be sure to read the “Characters” page associated with each The Enlightened series book to see how Kiersten’s ancestors were woven into the story!

So, if you’re looking for Kiersten, you will find her with her nose in a book or exploring another historical site or writing her next novel. Want to explore history with Kiersten? Follow her on Instagram for a photographic journey through some of her favorite adventures!