Krista Kleiner
Although she is an accomplished public speaker, writer, screen and stage presenter, and entrepreneur, Krista Kleiner’s main passion is being the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization she founded, The One Heart Movement. Driven by a desire to help heal the deepening divide in society and bring people together through our shared humanity, Kleiner has been fervently blending the worlds of entertainment and media with philanthropy and advocacy.
Krista learned a life-changing lesson from her parents early on: we can touch and transform the lives of others through acts of kindness and compassion.
Born and raised in California, Krista had the opportunity to accompany her mother to a children’s hospital in her homeland of the Philippines at the tender age of 6. Seeing the resilience and courage of countless children living in poverty, Krista was inspired to grow as a humanitarian, philanthropist and changemaker.
Fueled by her mother’s love of teaching and appreciation for the arts, as well as her father’s lifelong commitment to teaching business management and fighting harassment and discrimination, Krista set out to make a difference in the world.
By the age of 16, Krista was a published author on leadership and followership, as well as preventing harassment and discrimination at the workplace. Today, she continues to use her voice as a force of good. After winning the Miss Philippines International title in 2010, Kleiner’s reach grew quickly, allowing her to have an even impact.
Her talents, drive, and passion have made her uniquely effective in a range of influential roles including being a spokesperson for other nonprofits, such as the National Diversity Coalition, National Asian American Coalition, the Asian World Film Festival, Miss Philippine charities, The Philippines Foundation, Club 42, The Red Whistle Campaign, and more.
Wanting to bridge culture and community in a way that fosters unity and well-being, Krista propelled The One Heart Movement’s mission by effectively connecting with a global community. She launched the nonprofit with a social campaign that went viral, engaging over 20 million people in a demonstration of community love and gratitude this past Valentine’s Day, in honor of our frontline healthcare heroes, along with in-person hospital giftings.
This was followed by the nonprofit lending their support for a mental health initiative in partnership with MTV, Deepak Chopra and The Chopra Foundation. In light of racial injustices, The One Heart Movement came on as a presenting partner of the recent Asian World Film Festival with Krista as the host of their closing awards gala.
Krista and The One Heart Movement have recently established the One Heart Forest
in Tanzania. They’ve set a goal to plant 5 million+ trees to honor the lives we’ve lost to our global pandemic – bridging our environmental crisis with something more relatable, human connection. This symbolic gesture aims to unify us with a common goal and provides a plethora of real-world benefits for all of us and future generations.
The One Heart Forest will provide life sustaining oxygen and offset carbon to lower the heat index and help reverse climate change, but the way the forest is being cultivated allows the nonprofit to have an even greater impact. They’re empowering women with a 90% female workforce, alleviating poverty and restoring social dignity, educating children through green school programs, and planting a variety of trees to restore the soil, including fruit trees, that also help alleviate hunger.
Within the first year of establishing the nonprofit, Krista has accomplished so much, yet she looks forward to fulfilling her purpose even further. There are many plans on the horizon as Krista continues to enjoy the journey while making a positive difference.