Kristen Alford is the Director of the Diabetes Portfolio at the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). In this role, she provides strategic leadership and supports all aspects of the Diabetes Portfolio.

Before joining NACDD in 2022, Kristen served as an associate professor of social work and public health at Calvin University. In this role, she taught undergraduate and graduate public health courses with an emphasis on social and behavioral aspects of health. She also directed the undergraduate public health program and was a key campus leader. Previously, Kristen worked in the New York State Department of Health in their Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.

Kristen earned a PhD in social work and a Master of Public Health from Michigan State University, and a Master of Social Work from University at Albany. A native of Western New York, Kristen is a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and three sons.