Beverly Kristenson ‘Kris’ Helton, Massachusetts – 2022

‘Kris’ Helton could have worked anywhere in the world with her diverse and unique background. We hope the folks in New England can truly appreciate what this woman has offered others over more than three decades.

Kris has a PhD in industrial engineering, is a biochemist and is an international tennis umpire, who was recently appointed to the position of official female ambassador for the USA to the International Tennis Federation. She has devised a program of professional development for athletic trainers and has helped create an incluisve environment within the United States Tennis Association. The list of her achievements goes on and on. In a 2021 interview for the John T. McGovern Lifetime USTA Award, Kris was asked, what has kept her involved with the USTA and international levels of umpiring and mentorship? Her response was that the ever present demands of thinking and decision making in real time, maintaining the highest level of tennis standards at the USA and International level, and lastly, the friendships she has made around the globe have kept her involved.

Whether standing before engineering students at Northeastern University, mentoring college students working to become tennis umpires or holding court at her chair at Wimbledon, Kris Jaeger- Helton has and will no doubt in the future continue to share her positive, enthusiastic, and conta- gious love of opening doors for others!

Let’s welcome Kris as she joins us as a member of the Northeast – New Agenda Hall of Fame.