JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Emily Kraft works as a Budget and Planning Analyst at the Missouri Office of Administration, which is on the first floor of the Capitol Building. This past legislative session has kept her and the entire office very busy, but Kraft has a unique escape from fiscal notes: CrossFit. Kraft lives and does CrossFit not far from Mizzou – where she got her Master’s in Public Administration.
“It’s great that Mizzou’s program is so close to the Capitol because it helps provide many opportunities for jobs and internships,” Kraft said. “I figured I would make it down [to the Capitol] in some capacity.”
She previously interned for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, as well as Governor Nixon’s office. While she was doing her undergraduate studies in political science at UMKC, she was a cheerleader. Nearly a year ago, she started doing CrossFit in order to stay in shape and now competes with the activity.
“A lot of CrossFit movements are like the type of conditioning I would do in gymnastics growing up, like pull ups, push ups and sit ups,” Kraft said. “If you go online, you can read incredible success stories about people that changed their lives because of CrossFit and what a community it is.”
What Kraft enjoys most about CrossFit is the challenge and empowerment it provides.
“At the end of the day, you’ve accomplished something that you never though that you could accomplish,” she said.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
