Our people: Lesson from life: 'Just do today'

Kristian Price was born and raised in lower Alabama. As a freshman in high school, she moved with her parents to the Ruidoso area. After graduating from Capitan High School in 2015, she set her sights on a degree in business administration, focusing on hospitality management, which she earned from Eastern New Mexico University.

When her now husband made the move from Ruidoso to Clovis in 2018, the couple decided to put down roots in the area. Today, Price works as the grant administrator for Curry County. Working on the county level has allowed Price to realize her passion for bettering the community, she said.

When she's not working to provide opportunities for others, Price enjoys horseback riding, shopping, and spending time with her husband and their three dogs.

Q: What is your favorite thing about your career?

A: I love all of the people that I get to work with, and I love that I have a chance to help our community overcome certain challenges. Although I am not from the area, I am very passionate about helping our youth and other members of the community. I want Curry County to be THE destination, not just a stop along the way.

Q: What is one thing you absolutely love about living in Clovis?

A: I really like the warmer weather. Growing up in Alabama, you are very used to hot, humid weather and the cold and I just don't get along. 

Q: If there was one thing you could change or improve about Clovis, what would it be?

A: I would definitely bring some new shopping and other activities here. I know a lot of residents travel to Lubbock or Amarillo, myself included, to shop or attend events and I would love to reverse that. I enjoy the small town but I think if we had some new opportunities we could really drive our economic growth.

Q: If you could be a character in any book, who would you be and why?

A: If I could be a character in any book I would be Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, because being a wizard is cool. Life would be much easier with magic.

Q: In one word, how would your closest friends describe you?

A: My friends describe me as "determined," because I am dedicated to my work and determined to do my best in everything that I do.

Q: Describe your favorite childhood memory. 

A: My favorite childhood memory is getting to hang out with, and take care of, my "Paw Paw," (Grandpa). I remember when he tried to teach me how to drive a car, we pulled out onto a busy highway. I was on the wrong side of the road and he was praying we would make it home alive.

I also remember getting to take care of him and be his at-home nurse. When I was probably about 5 or 6 years old I thought CT scans were when you had cats run all over you. My Paw Paw had been hurt and I made him lay down in his recliner and I held my kitten over his body and made scanning noises. Then I thought my kitten was going to tell me what was wrong.

Q: If you could go anywhere for a day, where would it be and why?

A: I would go to Paris. If you know me, or have seen my office, you know that I am OBSESSED with the Eiffel Tower and just Paris in general. I think my obsession with Paris started when I was young and we had two French foreign exchange students. I think they just fascinated me. Honestly, I have no clue how it started, so that's my assumption.

Q: What can make you laugh harder than anything else?

A: I have such an odd sense of humor. I think what makes me laugh harder than anything else is comedian podcasts. I enjoy Kevin Hart's acts.

Q: If you could eat dinner with anyone from history, who would you choose? Why?

A: If I could eat dinner with anyone from history, I would choose to eat with Audrey Hepburn because I adore "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Because of that movie, I've always wanted a cat named Cat. 

Q: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received? 

A: The best piece of advice I've ever been told is, "Just do today." A friend of mine at work shared this with me because I was stressed about all my unread emails on top of other tasks that I needed to complete. She told me, "You can only do so much in one day, so just do today." She said, "You can't do yesterday, and you can't do tomorrow -- so just do today." That has stayed with me and for that, I am so grateful.