Born and raised on the island of Oahu, Kristi developed an interest in plants early on. Her grandfather, uncles and cousins farmed papaya, guavas, orchids and bananas, and her father was an avid organic gardener who enjoyed teaching his children about gardening.

Kristi's family relocated to San Diego for her high school years and she later majored in Business Administration at Loma Linda University.  She worked for years in the sales and high tech industries but all the while, she longed for a more creative and fulfilling career. It wasn't until a fateful corporate layoff occurred that she took the opportunity to pursue a career in landscape design.

After enrolling in the Horticulture Program at Mira Costa College, Kristi completed an internship at Quail Botanical Gardens where she helped map many parts of the Gardens.  That was followed by an internship at Barrels and Branches Nursery that led to a position there as a sales associate and landscape designer.

Three years and numerous client projects later, Kristi started her own landscape design company, Akana Design.  Today, she enjoys designing gardens and raising her daughter, Charli, with her husband, Justin.