Kirsten Xanthippe

Tuesday, 29 April 2025 - Workshop Arts Festivals Summit 2025

Kirsten Xanthippe has had a varied and broad career in politics, policy, and communications in the United States and UK. Whilst working in the US, she wrote health care and welfare legislation for the California State Legislature and served as press secretary, communications director, and press advance for several politicians and with the US Democratic Party. In the UK, Kirsten facilitated policy in innovation, research, technology transfer, and higher education. Currently, at the University of Southampton, she is helping with research for the PLEDGE Horizon Project on Grievance Politics and Democratic Governance. The European PLEDGE project focuses on the emotional dynamics of political grievances and their implications for democratic politics. www.pledgeproject.eu  

Kirsten holds a degree in music and plays the viola da gamba, lute, and recorders as well as the flute, double bass, and piano amongst others, and, in the past, conducted ensembles and choirs and organised concerts, ‘play days’, and small music festivals.