Kristen Finch

Enigma
DISC Type : idc

Director of Research Computing Solutions at University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, United States

Overview

Kristen Finch is the Director of Research Computing Solutions at the University of Washington, where she leads a team supporting researchers with high-performance computing (HPC), cloud solutions, and data storage. With a PhD from Oregon State University, her background spans over a decade in conservation genetics and bioinformatics, which informs her current work.

During her time at Oregon State, she was the host of a campus radio talk show called "Inspiration Dissemination, " which featured the research and personal stories of graduate students. She also hosted a podcast called "Calm AF" (previously "Show Up and Love").

Her research in conservation genetics has practical applications, including developing tools to help enforce timber trade regulations for protected tree species.

Personality Overview

Fast Follower

Persuasive & Assertive

Friendly Yet Blunt

They can sound friendly and charming but can quickly change gears to become inquisitive and probing  They are likely to ask many questions and look heavily for supporting proof as well as information. They are generally strong communicators and are not easy to convince.

Topics They Care About

Research Computing
Leads UW's Research Computing Solutions, managing HPC systems (Hyak, Tillicum), cloud advising (AWS, Azure, GCP), and storage platforms to support university researchers.
High-Performance Computing
Her team supports UW's supercomputing clusters, and she has a background as an HPC staff scientist. She frequently develops and delivers HPC training for students.
Conservation Genetics
Her PhD and postdoctoral work focused on conservation genetics and bioinformatics, using DNA to track illegal timber and protect wildlife like pangolins and elephants.

Media Appearances

Kristen has no verified media appearances

Work History

3-2025
Director of Research Computing Solutions at University of Washington
3-2024 - 6-2025
High Performance Computing (HPC) Staff Scientist at University of Washington
9-2021 - 3-2024
Postdoctoral Scholar at University of Washington
5-2021 - 9-2021
Wood Identification Specialist at U.S. Forest Service International Programs
5-2020 - 5-2021
Assistant Professor (Senior Research) at Oregon State University

Education

2014 - 2019
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD from Oregon State University
2009 - 2013
Bachelor of Arts - BA from Hendrix College

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 8 Location : Seattle, Washington, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director of Research Computing Solutions at University of Washington
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Insights For Selling To Kristen

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Let them lead the discussion, create opportunities for them to speak if they are not very forthcoming
  • Leverage 'negging', or the art of asking negative questions like "you must not be convinced yet..."
  • Help them realize that any personal risk in making this decision is far less compared to what the results could mean for them

DONT's

  • Don’t rely excessively on your relationship with them to win the deal even if you come to form one
  • Avoid long presentations and just 'high-level' value proposition, dive into the details
  • Don’t be too objective but make sure to pad your storytelling with data points

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kristen is

  • Proven value, strong objective evidence are important for them, rapport can impact decisions a little.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kristen

  • They are practical and friendly, but can give a clear response with a little prodding

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kristen move?

  • They like to be detailed, so unless they develop strong conviction, they can take their time to arrive at decisions
  • Can Kristen take some risk or not?

  • They evaluate their decisions systematically and do not take risks that often, unless you can get them to develop strong conviction

You And Kristen

Personality Compatibility


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