Kris received her Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in 1986. As an occupational therapist, she specialized in pediatric practice and pursued her Master of Science degree in educational psychology with a focus on human development. In 2003, Kris completed her doctoral training at the University of Wisconsin Madison with an emphasis in Therapeutic Science. She currently works as an assistant professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research scholarship and interests entail early intervention programs for families of children, ages birth to 3, with special health care needs.