JEFFERSON CITY, MO, NOV. 19, 2025 – Kristen Pattinson, an environmental program manager with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Environmental Quality, is the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Team Member of the Month for November 2025. She was selected for her service to the department and her efforts to restore regular coordination meetings between the department and public health agencies.
As part of her usual duties, Pattinson manages the department’s Southwest Regional Office drinking water section. This includes supervision of teams dedicated to public drinking water inspections and compliance in the region. In addition to her usual duties, she has also led trainings for department team members centered around tools and techniques for de-escalating tense situations and maintaining situational awareness.
Recently, Pattinson proposed a return to regular organized meetings between MoDNR, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and local public health agencies in her region. After obtaining approval, she built agendas and acquired speakers for the meeting, collaborated on scheduling and led discussion during the sessions. Feedback after the meeting indicated it was a success, and all parties felt it was beneficial.
Active collaboration between public health agencies and the department helps reduce confusion about regulations and jurisdiction, and it improves trust and communication. Because of the success of this meeting, the department is considering holding similar meetings in other regions on an annual basis.
“Kirsten is consistently a great team member with great ideas,” said Tanya Turner, the manager of the department’s Southwest Regional Office who nominated Pattinson for the award. “She has shown time and again to be a dependable and trustworthy team member who reflects the department’s values of respect, integrity, innovation, collaboration and stewardship while serving the citizens of Missouri.”
Pattinson joined the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in November 2003 and resides in Springfield.