2012 Alumni Spotlight: Kristina Pepelko
Published October 30, 2026 by Christopher Toth
Current job title
Director of Strategic Communications, Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation
Describe your current position
I lead and manage the Community Foundation’s communications strategy, systems, and brand reputation, ensuring our storytelling, public presence, and internal alignment grow trust, credibility, and engagement with our community and advance the Foundation’s mission and strategic priorities.
To what extent does writing relate to your current position? What type of writing/design do you do for work?
Writing is integral to my work at the Community Foundation. I write a variety of communications, from press releases and op-eds to stories and social media posts. All of my work is centered on strategic storytelling and amplifying the impact of the Community Foundation.
Please describe your path from graduation at GVSU to your current position.
Since graduating from GVSU, I've gained nearly 15 years of communications, writing, and editing experience. I've held professional roles across the nonprofit sector and online media space, serving organizations such as Kids’ Orchestra, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, One Green Planet, and Croatia Times, among others. I've also run my own writing and editing freelance business, supporting a variety of clients. I currently work as the Director of Strategic Communications for the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.
What parts of the writing major had the strongest impact on you as a professional?
I loved focusing cross-genre in both fiction and poetry. Each provided a different lens from which to approach writing. Poetry provided a close attention to detail; fiction offered the arch of storytelling. Together, they strengthen one another and I am a better writer and communicator for having this cross-genre background. Writing department professors were most important in my journey and development as a writer--they were excellent mentors and champions of my work, most notably Caitlin Horrocks, Patricia Clark, and Elena Passarello, who first inspired me to select Writing as one of my majors.
What advice would you offer to current/future writing majors at Grand Valley?
My advice would be to get involved beyond your studies--find out where your interests and passions lie. Get involved with student organizations, even if they're outside of the writing field. Find your unique voice by exploring all that's available to you and turn to your professors for guidance and support when you need it.