Kristi Rutherford, CPNP

Kristi was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama to loving parents Edwin and Shirley Ledlow. She has 4 older brothers, 2 older sisters, and 1 younger brother. Kristi graduated from Ensley high school where she enjoyed being a member of the cheerleading squad. She attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and was a member of the Golden Girls dance team. After college, Kristi moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee and worked in civil service. Inspired by a colleague, Kristi decided to pursue a nursing degree and she obtained her associates of science in Nursing from Roane State. Kristi soon began working at Baptist Hospital with heart patients. A patient, impressed by Kristi’s bedside manner and demeanor, suggested she try working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Kristi took the advice and gave NICU nursing a try. Unable to have children of her own, Kristi found her niche and after working in the NICU for a few years, her passion was ignited, and she was led to her calling – working with children of all ages. She found her way to Kid’s Choice Pediatrics in Seymour, TN. where she worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) for 9 years. During her stint as a RN at Kid’s Choice, one of the doctors suggested she enroll at King University to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Kristi graduated with her degree in 2015 and went on to earn her master’s degree in Pediatric Nursing in 2017. After passing the pediatric board exam in 2018, she began working as a CPNP. “I am very excited about my next chapter and being a part of the Kids Central team and working with such amazing staff.”

Kristi loves spending time with her husband, Jason, and the best dog ever, Champ. She holds Christian values. Always an Alabama girl at heart, her biggest passion is Alabama Crimson Tide college sports, especially football. “I won’t even eat an orange during Football season, but I will continue to give the best care to my UT-loving patients” :)

“As a nurse, you should be a good listener, compassionate, and an advocate for your patients. I chose to be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner to remain close to my nursing roots but to strengthen my health advocacy for each child and family. Every child I care for is unique and I take pride in providing personalized care based on their specific needs and circumstances.”