Veteran Instructor
Introductory Self-Defense Classes
2011 - 2016
Awards
President's Volunteer Service Award - 2013
Honored Volunteer Award - 2012
“After Krista completed the 128 hour volunteer training program, she has continued to meet and exceed her commitment, frequently teaching every month (most instructors teach about six times a year). She also has invested in WomenStrength by acting as the lead instructor, class coordinator,
mentoring new instructors and sharing her contagious enthusiasm with each student she meets. Krista is a natural leader and dedicated volunteer instructor.
In addition to her work as an instructor, Krista has also volunteered at our yearly volunteer graduation, sharing her talent in photography. She has taken photos of the volunteers and compiled them into an outstanding slide show for the past 2 years. Some of Krista’s strengths are her attention to detail, her diligence, creativity and dedication. Krista would take on any project and not only
complete it; she would excel beyond expectation. ”
About
WomenStrength self-defense classes are designed to introduce teenage and adult women to a variety of strategies, including some survival level fighting skills, designed to help defend against sexual assault. The Portland Police Bureau believes that fighting can be an effective response to the threat of sexual assault.
Class activities and discussion are designed to help women identify their risks and evaluate their strengths, and to explore their options for dealing with the threat of sexual violence. Class activities focus on practicing verbal and physical strategies. Discussion topics focus on sexual and domestic violence.
WomenStrength emphasizes that each threat must be assessed quickly. Research on women's experiences indicates that the likelihood of escaping a sexual assault increases with the number of escape strategies employed. Women who choose to fight are encouraged to use the element of surprise to their advantage. Because physical self-defense will be most effective if vulnerable areas of the body are targeted, some of the skills taught include multiple strikes to those areas, as well as escapes from choke holds, body grabs, and wrist grasps, and defense techniques from the ground. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/61827