Kristen Sanfilippo is a hydrometeorological researcher working with both PI-AK, the collaboration between the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center (AK CASC) and the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant-administered Pacific Islands CASC, and the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) to improve the processing, accessibility, and practical use of downscaled rainfall information in Hawaiʻi. Her work focuses on two major project goals. With PI-AK, Kristen is using newly produced NASA-NEX downscaled data to evaluate which Global Climate Models (GCMs) provide the most reliable rainfall information for Hawaiʻi. She aims to transform raw climate data into decision-ready products that planners and resource managers across the state can readily use as the newest set of downscaled rainfall projections. As part of CIROH, Kristen is applying the Generalized Analog Regression Downscaling (GARD) method to ensemble forecast datasets to improve probabilistic streamflow predictions in Hawaiʻi using the NextGen National Water Model.

Kristen is an alumna of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and previously worked at the Water Resources Research Center on similar efforts to advance downscaled rainfall products for the state. Originally from Gloucester, Massachusetts, she spent seven years living and working in Honolulu before returning to Massachusetts. She is now based at Clark University, where she continues to focus on the limitations and opportunities within available downscaled climate datasets for Hawaiʻi. Outside of research, Kristen enjoys exploring beaches and forest trails, diving into a good book, traveling to new destinations, and creating handmade crafts. Whether in Hawaiʻi or Massachusetts, she stays connected to the communities and landscapes that shaped her interest in water and climate.