Rev. Dr. Kristin D. Hansen – known as Pastor Kristin – serves as Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Gilbert. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, while her father was serving in the U.S. Army and her parents were living overseas, her first game of "peek-a-boo" took place on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. She grew up in Indiana and has since lived and served churches in Ohio, Indiana, California, Georgia, and Michigan, bringing a wealth of experience and perspective to her ministry.
Pastor Kristin earned her Master of Divinity in Semiotics and Future Studies from Portland Seminary, studied at Anderson University School of Theology in Indiana, and took additional courses at Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C., and the University of Vienna in Austria. Her ministry is shaped by a deep love for Scripture, a heart for people, and a creative vision for the future of the Church.
Married with two children, Pastor Kristin enjoys life with her two dogs, a good glass of iced tea, and a challenging puzzle. When gaming, she prefers the imaginative world of role-playing games (RPGs). Her leadership is marked by curiosity, compassion, and the belief that God calls us to be both rooted in tradition and open to the Spirit's new possibilities.
