Kristen Ostendorf is a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, serving as associate rector at St. Christopher's in Gladwyne and as a founding member of the Clare Project, a street outreach ministry. She graduated from the General Theological Seminary with a Master’s of Divinity degree in 2023. She has worked as an educator, primarily as a high school history teacher, for about 15 years, and a newspaper reporter and copy editor before that. Born in St. Louis, Kristen came to the East Coast to follow her career in journalism after she graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with dual degrees in journalism and sociology. She earned her master’s degree in social studies education from Rutgers University in 2004 and has taught in a variety of environments.

At St. Christopher’s Church, Gladwyne, where Kristen works with children and families, outreach, and creation care efforts. She also works with The Clare Project, which serves those who are unhoused and facing addiction in Philadelphia, as a mendicant street pastoral care provider.

She spends her downtime with her family, which includes two bright teen-age souls, her rude rescue Plott hound, and spouse, or walking, reading, running, or hiking. Kristen looks for ways to lean into silence in the busyness of life.