Kristen is nationally recognized for her proficiency in Special Needs Trust planning for persons challenged by disabilities, and is a frequent speaker and author on this topic. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and an active member of the Special Needs Alliance, where she has recently served as Co-Editor of the organization’s monthly e-newsletter, The Voice. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the New York Bar Association Elder Law Section, and the State Bar of Georgia Fiduciary Law Section. She is a former Co-Chair of the Long-Term Care, Medicaid and Special Needs Trusts Committee of the Elder Law, Disability Planning and Bioethics Group of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the ABA. She regularly lectures on the topics of Elder Financial Abuse and Special Needs Planning for Persons with Disabilities.
Kristen received her Bachelor of Arts degree in French and political science, with highest honors, from Wellesley College in 1981. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School in 1984. She is admitted to practice law in both New York and Georgia. Since 2012, Kristen has been selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers in Estate Planning and Probate. Additionally, since 2013, she has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in Trusts and Estates.
Ms. Lewis currently serves on the Board of the Center for the Visually Impaired, and is a past Board Member of All About Developmental Disabilities (which has since merged with The Bobby Dodd Institute), as well as the former Board Chair of Georgia Community Supports & Solutions (formerly enAble and now known as InCommunity), all of which serve persons with disabilities and their families. She has recently joined the Board of Cumberland Academy of Georgia, a private school for children with autism. She is currently a Board Member of Eagle Ranch, a non-profit that works to unify families, and serves on the Board of Wesley Woods Senior Living, which provides affordable housing for seniors of limited means, and Better Living Together, Inc., which seeks to provide affordable housing for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others of modest means. She is also a member of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Legacy Advisors Leadership Council. She is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Inc. and a former Trustee of the Wellesley College Alumnae Association. She is an active member of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, and serves as an annulment Advocate with the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. She is also a member of the Serra Club of Atlanta, which supports seminarians and religious vocations. In her free time, she volunteers for Canine Assistants, which raises and trains certified service dogs for recipients with disabilities. Ms. Lewis is a faculty member for the annual American Bankers Association Advanced Trust School, addressing the complex topic of Special Needs Trust administration. She also regularly presents workshops on these topics to groups of parents and allied professionals.
Kristen is married to Randy Kennedy, a retired Army officer and network analyst with Sprint/T-Mobile. Her daughter, Savannah Lewis Grice, attends the University of Michigan Law School.
