Kaljo, Kristina, PhD

Kristina Kaljo, PhD, Associate Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC), has 20 years of experience developing and leading education initiatives across the academic and professional continuum, from middle/high school to undergraduate education through to faculty professional enrichment. As an education scientist, her work intersects education and research through the lens of culturally responsive pedagogical content knowledge, bridging together complex subject matter concepts and the ways to teach those effectively to all learners.

Dr. Kaljo is the Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. She works on promoting educational scholarship and providing support and mentoring to faculty, Working with faculty and staff on developing, implementing, and evaluating education programs and curriculum, participating in and facilitating the recruitment of clinician educators, orienting new faculty members to roles and responsibilities in education and teaching, and leading the Departmental Education Council.

Alongside Dr. Janet Rader, Dr. Kaljo is co-Principal Investigator and co-Director of the Student-centered Pipeline to Advance Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC, R25CA221715). Dr. Kaljo facilitates workshops for scholars to explore their talents and how those contribute to robust academic and professional career pathways in clinical cancer research.

She has been recognized at MCW for her contributions to promoting equitable working and learning environments, as a recipient of the President’s Diversity and Inclusion award (2020) and is an elected member of the Society for Teaching Scholars (2022). She is a member of the Society for Teaching Scholars. Dr. Kaljo has received grant funding from the National Cancer Institute, A Healthier Wisconsin, and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Learning Resource Grant. She has published and disseminated scholarship internationally, nationally, and regionally in the spaces of general medical education, General Internal Medicine, Ob/Gyn, community engagement, gender disparities, and cancer-related Disparities.

Dr. Kaljo encourages educators to take risks and embrace novel methods in their multifaceted roles as teachers, learners, mentors, scientists, and leaders. Her expertise includes program design, implementation, and evaluation, differentiated instruction, fostering safe learning environments to promote a growth-mindset, and inclusion of critical thinking and reflection in one’s professional practice.