A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Kristen Klink

A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Kristen Klink

No matter where or how she did it, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kristen Klink has continually sought ways to help others in the community. Sharing her expertise in law and safety-related issues is how she serves the community through her job. She wants to both protect and educate all clients that set foot in her office.

“I always try to picture something I would need to have explained to me,” Klink said. “I go to my doctor to have medical things explained to me because I don’t understand them. I go to my mechanic to explain things about my car because I don’t understand them. I ask how I can possibly serve that purpose for someone else.”

On Klink’s educational journey, she started at Wittenberg University in Ohio, made a stop at Indiana University, and ended at Valparaiso University Law School. She previously worked for a private practice and as an attorney for the Indiana Department of Child Services. Klink now works at the Porter County Government North County Complex through a stop grant, which is a federal grant that helps fund her position. Klink said that law was a natural choice for her profession. 

“My parents always thought that going to law school would be a good profession for me because I allegedly like to argue with them a lot,” Klink said. “My younger sister attended law school at the same time I did. I had a partner I could lean on and trust.”

As an attorney, she deals with felony and misdemeanor crimes, traffic court, and other issues. The type of case that she is especially passionate about is domestic violence cases. She commended Portage for the attention it has placed on domestic violence. 

“Portage has a lot of people who are willing to address domestic violence issues,” Klink said. “It’s easy to say, ‘That happens, but not here. That’s a big city problem.’ I appreciate this community’s organizations that bring domestic violence to the forefront. Putting people in different groups together to work toward a common cause to deal with different layers of the issue creates sturdier paths toward solutions. I like that Portage is forward-thinking in centralizing a lot of those things.”

Klink has gotten involved in the Portage community through many job-related duties, but she wants to expand her volunteer work more. Once COVID-19 lessens its hold on community activities and regulations allow for more volunteer programs to resume, she wants to get involved in working with kids. Klink would also like to volunteer for programs involving the arts. 

“I’ve always enjoyed writing fiction and poetry, and I enjoy the arts,” she said. “If I’m in a new place, the first places I am going to is a museum, a concert, or something like that. I think it’s important to support that. We need those release valves in our lives, and that stuff really does it for me.”

Some of Klink’s other release valves and free-time activities include reading, gardening, canning veggies and fruits, updating her house, and playing Legos with her nephews. She also enjoys watching TV and noted two of her current favorites: Space Force and The Office. 

“My husband and I recently rewatched all the seasons of The Office during the lockdown,” Klink said. “Since we didn’t have March Madness, we made a March Madness bracket for the funniest episodes of The Office.”

Klink grew up in Indiana and believes it is one of the best places to live.

“I’ve always lived in Indiana,” she said. “I don’t know that I will ever live anywhere else. I love the Midwest, and Portage has become a really good second home. This will be my second year living here. I look forward to volunteering more here.”