Kristin Haskins-Simms

VP Community Affairs

Kristin was born and raised in West Mt. Airy. She graduated from Germantown Friends School and attended University of Penn. Upon graduation in 1993, she lived in NYC before earning an MFA from RISD in 2000. Kristin accepted a position as visiting professor at UCONN while also starting her own graphic design studio in Philadelphia. After a year at UCONN, she moved back to Philadelphia and accepted various adjunct positions at UPENN, Philadelphia University, Rutgers and Rowan. She also continued to grow her graphic design studio.

Kristin started a t-shirt line called “Strangefruit” which was intended to use fashion to educate about Black History.  She taught herself how to sew using her grandmother’s old sewing machine. Eventually she made a whole fall line and debuted at a Philadelphia fashion week which elevated her to a “one to watch fashion icon” status. She was cast to Season 8 of Project Runway. Even though Kristin was the 5th one eliminated, she learned a lot from that experience and vowed never to apply to a competition reality show ever again. The best thing about that experience was netting and spending quality time with Tim Gunn. Kristin continued with fashion with a new line “Krysi” and a small manufacturing company helping independent designers develop their lines. (2011-2020). When COVID occurred, she dissolved the business and is now working in her family’s Real Estate business as the Interior Architect and Designer. They have been renovating and flipping houses.