Dr. Porter earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Clark Atlanta University. In 2012, she earned a Ph.D. in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology from Emory University, where she studied the contribution of HIV-1 proteins to the development and progression of HIV-associated pulmonary hypertension.

After completing her graduate studies, Kristi joined the Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) Postdoctoral Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Collaborating with researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech, Kristi investigated the role of cathepsin proteases in endometrial lesion formation.

In 2016, Kristi transitioned to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), serving as a Science Writer with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Division of Intramural Research. With aspirations to return to student mentoring and development, Kristi joined the NIH Oxford Cambridge (OxCam) Scholars Program in 2019 as Director of Recruitment and Student Affairs. In 2021, Kristi assumed the role of Program Executive Director and Director of Recruitment, and now oversees over 100 PhD and M.D./Ph.D. students across the NIH, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge.