Who is Kristie Wolfe?
Age: 43
Occupation: President-principal at Fr. Tolton Catholic High School
Years lived in Columbia: Three
Original hometown: Pittsburgh
Community involvement: My only free time is typically after 9 p.m., so I’m not involved in too much right now. Professionally, I’m a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Personally, I’m a member of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, and I’m a team mom for whichever of my kids’ sports is in season. Right now, that’s Upward Soccer.
A favorite recent project: Opening a new Catholic high school
Family: I have six kids! One is in grad school in Washington, D.C. His twin brother is in the Navy and learning to fly jets. The next is a freshman at the University of Missouri. Of the three still at home, one is a freshman in my high school, and two are still in grade school at Our Lady of Lourdes.
What I do for fun: On a daily basis, I have about 10 minutes for fun before I fall asleep, so I play Words with Friends. For real fun and restoration of my soul, I travel. It helps me keep perspective on how big the world is and how small my problems are.
Most people don’t know that I: Am a passionate football fanatic. (Go, Steelers!) Being a football fan, overall, is very cathartic for me. All the frustrations I build up all week get worked out on the weekends when I’m watching football, in person or on TV; it doesn’t matter.
On a typical weekday night, I am: Driving all over town. I can put 100 miles on my minivan and not actually get anywhere. I just chauffeur my kids to and fro: soccer, choir, gymnastics, baseball, cheer.
In a single word, I am: Determined.
The three questions I hate getting: How do you do it all? Where do you find the time? Those alone drive me crazy. I have the same 24 hours in my day that everyone else has. We all do what we can.
The businessperson I admire and why: Walt Disney because he started with nothing. Then he drew a simple mouse, and the rest is history. I am inspired by this notion of creating something where before there was nothing. To this day, the Disney management model is about having very high standards and still having fun. I love all of that.
The song that absolutely must be included on the soundtrack to my life: “Restless” by Audrey Assad. The lyrics are from the writings of St. Augustine. We are restless until we rest in Him who created us. I think my own restlessness comes from my desire always to seek Him and to fulfill the potential He created in me. I’m still a work in progress, seeking His will.
They’re making a movie about my life. The film’s biggest climatic moment would be: I think I need to get to the end to look back and know where the climatic moment was. I do think that the segment where the Wolfe gang headed west was an adventurous turning point.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you? I’d need pages.
My go-to cocktail: Wine. Always wine.
If I could be any animal, I would be: A lioness: strong and fiercely protective.
If I were a crayon in a box of Crayolas, I would be: Red: useful in any sort of picture, mixes well with other colors but never disappears. It stands strong on its own, too.
My all-time biggest regret: No regrets. “Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” (Frederick Buechner)
Relationship status: Divorced
Why? Love stories just don’t always have happy endings.