Kaitlen currently lives in Blacksburg Virginia where she is a second year poetry MFA candidate at Virginia Tech. Kaitlen has traveled to over 40 countries as both a tourist, a teacher, a Melon Fellow, and a Fulbright scholar; however, she will always consider West Virginia her home. Kaitlen is dedicated to preserving Appalachian culture and frequently explores the heritage and strife of the region in her poems. She maintains an arts business making and selling jewelry and other pieces from antique scrap purchased in Appalachia. Kaitlen also contributes to the culinary culture of West Virginia by selling preserves made using wild edibles and organic vegetables from her garden at local farmers markets. Her audio work and writing has been featured on WV Public Radio's broadcast and online.