October 19, 2021

Meet Kylie Kutina

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kylie Kutina. Kylie was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Sydney Park.

Kylie, thank you so much for joining us today. We’d love for you to bring our readers up to speed – can you introduce yourself and share your story?

I started as a wee avocado farmer, a helping hand on my family’s avocado orchard. I grew up with three older sisters running barefoot through knee-high weeds and making mud forts. As soon as I was old enough to leave for the city, I did because, well, I was tired of being surrounded by dirt and having to watch my step for rattlesnakes everywhere I went. I went to college and graduated with BA in human development and an MPH in health education and promotion. I’ve worked for many different organizations where I have had great opportunities working with diverse groups/populations. I cater to whatever health education needs a lacking or wanted for whomever and wherever. Currently, I am working for the DOD as the US Navy Health Promotion Coordinator. During a worldwide pandemic, I thank my lucky star that I chose a public health career and can help many people in need.

Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?

As mentioned in the last question, I am a Health Promotion Coordinator for the Us Navy. I teach in-person and online classes regarding nutrition, exercise, mental health, and various other topics as needed. What sets me apart mostly from others in my field is my age and degree of knowledge. I’m a young female with a master’s degree that works primarily in a male-dominated environment (military). I can happily report that there are many well-educated female leaders within my office and department, and I’m proud to be a part of their team. I’ll also add that I am a brainstorming machine and can almost always find alternative ideas to work around an issue. One relevant issue, of course, being the COVID-19 pandemic. Again, I thank my lucky stars for getting an education and having the expertise I’ve grown. What I love most about my work is being creative! Believe it or not, there are many different ways you can teach health. Being able to create custom work for a specific group or even person is extremely rewarding and fun! Having fun is essential for learning because if you are bored, then you’re not engaged. If you are not engaged, then it’s tough to learn. So, I take pride in making things fun.

As you know, we’re big fans of Sydney Park, and we know you’ve worked with them quite a bit as well. We’d love to hear about your experience working with Sydney Park.

I met Sydney (Artist Squid Ink) at a RAW art show in downtown SD. I came to support my friend, an incredible artist (Mei-Ling Mirow), and Sydney was actually set up right next to her. Her table was extremely bright and inviting. Immediately I could feel a vibe of empowerment and confidence radiating from her. I have never seen artwork done like what she was presenting. It was modern, fresh, eye-catching, and most importantly, it spoke to me. I ended up coming back to her table at the very end and getting her contact information, and soon after, I asked if I could request to pay for custom pieces. She agreed, and throughout the entire process, she was kind and diligent. She listened to all my suggestions and didn’t sacrifice her own artistic style. Her prices are fair, and the pieces will be cherished FOREVER! I ended up getting five custom Goddess pieces, one for each of my sisters, mom, and myself. Love, love, love!