Kristen Rhodes Beland is a third grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Previously, she served as an integration specialist implementing the SmART program developed by Brown University. In 2018-2020 Kristen was a Teach Plus Policy Rhode Island Fellow. From 2019-2023 she was a Senior Teach Plus National Advisory Board Member. 

Kristen believes, “Every child is capable of achieving academic greatness if they know they are loved”. This philosophy has been the catalyst for developing a team at her school to become trauma informed, given testimonies to state leaders advocating for stronger mental health in schools, and collaborating with NEARI on the annual Mental Health Summit for Teachers. Kristen has published Op-Eds on empathy through Medium, the importance of relational trust as the key factor driving student relationships on Transforming Education, and our lasting impact as teachers handling COVID-19 on Project Forever Free. You can find her in Influence to Impact discussing the importance of Teacher Leadership.

In 2020 she collaboratively created @AnchorED creating and providing a 12 week wellness program through PBL Matters. Kristen not only helped facilitate the Phoenix Project, but authored the Thriving Teachers section of the paper providing insight, recommendations, and considerations for Congress. The Teachers LEAD Act was one of the first pieces of legislation conceived from her own ideas as a teacher and she was able to advocate for. Senator Lujan introduced the bill in the 117th and 118th Congress. 

Kristen was a 2013 Golden Apple Recipient. She graduated with a BA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Salve Regina University and is a Trauma Support Specialist through Arizona Trauma Institute.