Kristie was born in Effingham, IL yet moved away when she was two years old. After the events of 9/11, she traveled to an island off the coast of Puerto Rico to visit some friends who owned a restaurant. There she met their chef Niall Campbell, Kristie’s future husband. After a few years in Puerto Rico, they returned to the states with the dream of one day opening their own restaurant. Within a few months of moving to San Francisco, Kristie and Niall were contacted by an Effingham developer who had heard about their idea for a restaurant. The developer flew them in immediately, loved their ideas and in 2004, the Firefly Grill was born. Aside from the Firefly, Kristie also founded the Buckeye Friends School in 2019. Buckeye is an innovative, project-based pre-k through 12-grade school focused on giving kids the opportunity to maximize their potential by pursuing their passions and finding their purpose. Through firefly and Buckeye, Kristie continues her deep commitment to helping people find and lead the lives of their dreams.