Kirsten Barnhorst, HBS MBA 1991, founded the HBS Alumni Club of Jacksonville in December 2004.  She set up a Board of Directors, collected initial membership dues, and began hosting a wide variety of stimulating Club events.  The kick-off event to launch the Club was a presentation by Mayor John Peyton at Morton’s Steakhouse. 

Kirsten led the Club as President for four years, building the membership base to over 50 strong.  During the period she led the Club, many successful events took place:

• Dinner and Rehearsal with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Director, Fabio Mechetti
• Presentation by Rob Schiller, CEO of Armor Holdings
• Presentation and Insiders Tour with Howard Kelley, President of Sally Corporation.

Kirsten was born and raised in New York City and then attended Georgetown University graduating in 1987.  Prior to HBS, she worked as a Consultant for the management consulting firm Kaiser Associates.  After receiving her MBA she worked in Brand Management for General Mills in Minneapolis and then American Greetings and Nestle in Cleveland, Ohio.

Kirsten and her husband Don moved to Jacksonville when her husband began his own ophthalmology practice, now called Barnhorst Eye Associates.  They have four children and reside in Ponte Vedra Beach.