2022 40 Under 40: Kristen Milam

Kristen Milam, 36, is actively engaged in making the city of Springfield a better place for residents.

Milam, who works as a communication coordinator for the municipality, has been active in projects such as the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor improvement initiative, for which she led the public engagement process for the planned multimillion-dollar transformation of the Queen City street. She additionally created and implemented Clean Green Springfield, a citywide litter cleanup and beautification project.

“At the end of my career, I hope to look back and track the moving of that needle on a variety of challenges Springfield faces – poverty, aging infrastructure, cleanliness and beautification, civic pride, and diversity and inclusion,” she says.

Proudest moment? Sending my eldest daughter to kindergarten this past fall. I was so proud of her and so proud of our community for pulling ourselves out of the pandemic and back into semi-normalcy (at least at that point!).

What about your job would shock people? I’m going 100 mph from the minute I start each day. Also, the massive amount of information I know about sewers, asphalt, landfills and the art/science of snow removal. 

Favorite hobby or creative outlet? Board games (we own about 100). Swimming with my kids. Brewing beer with my husband. Playing piano.