Born and raised in New England, Kirsten discovered her love for acting at the ripe old age of 9 when she appeared in her first play, Hello, Dolly! She continued acting in community theater throughout her adolescence before attending Hofstra University, where she would earn her BFA in Acting. While at Hofstra, Kirsten was awarded both academic and performance-based scholarships and was inducted into the Alpha Psi Omega National Honorary Dramatic Fraternity. In both 2003 and 2004 she was given Best Actor awards by the University’s Department of Drama and Dance, and in 2003 she was the recipient of the Philip and Monica Rosenthal Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Comedic Acting, a sizable grant generously given by the creator/executive producer of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” 

After college, Kirsten worked as an actor in New York City, landing roles in various plays and independent films. In 2006, she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London for an intensive in classical acting, and in 2007 was the co-artistic director of Bat Country, a theatre company that she also co-founded with writer Adam Michael Cohen and director Ryan Hemphill.

In 2008, Kirsten relocated her home base to Los Angeles, where she continues to work in theatre, independent film, television, and web series. She has studied intensively with actor Brad William Henke and has recently finished her directorial debut in the form of the short film "Boots." In July of 2013, Kirsten and her husband, actor Charlie Heydt, launched BabyShakes, a Shakespeare-inspired line of clothing for infants and toddlers.