Kira King

Kira King

Science & Education Coordinator

I moved to North Carolina from Ohio in 2019 with my husband, Roy. We live in Asheville with our chihuahua, Leia, and our cat, Avett. My love of hiking, mountains, and waterfalls (and southern food) brought me here and it truly feels like home! My passion for science started as a child, growing up in a log cabin in the woods and taking water samples from our pond. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology and then a master’s in zoology with a focus in entomology. I started my career working with animals at the Cincinnati Zoo and Newport Aquarium — helping to raise baby flamingos and train Asian small clawed otters were my favorite moments! Then I realized my calling to environmental education and stream ecology as Education Coordinator for the Ohio River Foundation. There I created the first Mussels in the Classroom program in the nation and organized field trips to educate students about water quality and macroinvertebrates, two of the things I’m most passionate about. Although I haven’t been in North Carolina long, I’ve spent as many days as possible at waterfalls and found them to be a healing power in my life. I’m so excited to help others appreciate the beauty of waterfalls and the environmental impact we can make together!