Meet Kristina Pabolo, AcademySTAY Case Manager and Cycle-Breaker

If you had met Kristina Pabolo in her early teens, you might not have guessed where her life would take her: college graduate, published writer, state-certified counselor, and now a trusted Case Manager at AcademySTAY.

But the truth is, Kristina didn’t always see that future for herself either.

“I spent so much of my childhood being told I was worthless. That I’d end up in prison or dead,” she says. “I was determined not to become what the world expected of me.”

Kristina grew up in and out of foster care. At 15, she survived a kidnapping that changed everything. What followed were years of unaddressed trauma, instability, teen pregnancy, and the painful reality of navigating young adulthood alone.

It wasn’t until a college professor stepped in to guide her through financial aid, class registration, and life itself that Kristina realized she didn’t have to go it alone. “She believed in me until I learned how to believe in myself.”

That belief became a turning point. Kristina went on to earn her degree, become a Drug and Alcohol Counselor, and build a life for herself and her children rooted in healing instead of survival.

“I work here because I’ve lived it,” she says. “I know what it means to need just one safe person. One consistent adult. One reason to believe the future could look different.”

She listens without judgment, helps them access critical support, and reminds them every day that they matter.

“I don’t tell them what to do. I just walk the path with them,” she explains. “And when they start to believe they can actually achieve something—whether it’s passing a test or going to prom for the first time—it lights me up inside.”

She knows that healing happens in the doing. “Every time I help a student feel seen, it heals a little part of my inner child too.”

Outside of work, Kristina recharges through creativity. She paints, writes poetry, and builds intricate miniature models, which she often gifts to friends and colleagues.

She is also a proud mom of two children. One of them recently said, “Yeah, we’ve been through some hard things, but I always had my mom.” Kristina holds that moment close.

“Just hearing that from her is the reward. That’s the whole reason.”

When asked what advice she would give to youth aging out of care, she doesn’t hesitate.

“You get to choose who you become. You don’t have to be what anyone else told you you had to be. Your story isn’t over. It’s just getting started.”

We’re honored to walk this journey with Kristina. And even more grateful that she’s walking it with our students.

This story was updated June 5, 2025.