As the Head of Strategic Development at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), KRISTIN BALDER-FROID develops collaborative R&D initiatives for Berkeley Lab’s science and technology missions. With a focus on strategic partnering, Kristin advances innovative programs that promote the lab’s growth and extend its impact.

Kristin began her career at Berkeley Lab in nuclear science and the office of Laboratory Director-at-Large, Nobel Laureate Glenn T. Seaborg. She was a founding member and Deputy Division Director for Strategic Planning and Development of the lab’s Physical Biosciences Division, which launched the world’s first synthetic biology department. Kristin managed the winning development team for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), whose large-scale, integrated research model broadly inspired the DOE’s Energy Innovation Hubs. Kristin was a key contributor to two DOE hubs and has been instrumental in the success of multiple programs and research resources serving the lab’s science divisions and national user facilities. Under her management, Berkeley Lab has led the national laboratory system in awards for the prestigious DOE Early Career Research Program. Recently, Kristin has focused on novel approaches to public and private sector alliances and enterprise-level tools for research, program and business development. Prior to joining Berkeley Lab, Kristin managed the Center for the Molecular Biology of RNA at U.C. Santa Cruz, where she earned her degree.