Crystal Tutein has spent her career in the eye of the storm—literally and figuratively. As a disaster management professional, she has led hundreds of first responders across the United States and its territories, transforming crisis into coordinated response. Her expertise was tested personally when Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the US Virgin Islands, where she served simultaneously as both survivor and recovery leader.
This dual experience—enduring trauma while leading others through it—became the foundation for her revolutionary concept of "battlefield intelligence." Crystal holds a master's degree in management from American Military University and is currently pursuing her doctorate in organizational leadership at Grand Canyon University, where her dissertation research examines how personal trauma transforms into professional strength among disaster recovery officials.
Her academic work explores Post-Traumatic Growth theory and experiential intelligence, investigating how meaning-making processes translate lived experiences into enhanced leadership capabilities. Crystal's research stems from witnessing firsthand how officials develop innovative approaches through their own survival stories.
Crystal lives with her husband in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with extended family throughout the continental United States.