Krysta Peralto didn’t grow up in Kitimat, but her connection to the community began the moment she arrived. In late January 2020, just before graduating with a computer engineering degree from Queen’s University in Ontario, she secured a job at Rio Tinto and made the move to Kitimat. On her first morning in town, seeing Clague Mountain rising above the landscape left a strong impression. At that moment, Krysta felt confident she had made the right decision.
What followed, however, was not the easy transition she’d expected. Like many who relocated in early 2020, Krysta’s first year in Kitimat was shaped by the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Building a new life in a new place is difficult under normal circumstances, but doing so during a pandemic made it even harder. At the same time, Krysta was also navigating personal struggles with addiction.
Despite those challenges, Krysta chose to stay. Rather than seeing Kitimat as a temporary stop, she began to view the town as the ideal place to rebuild and take care of herself. The qualities that had drawn her there initially, including the calmness, fresh air, slower pace of life, and access to nature, became an important part of that process.
In December of 2020, Krysta began her sobriety journey, marking a major turning point in her life. With that achievement came a growing sense of clarity and connection to the community around her. Where her early experience in Kitimat had been defined by isolation, her life began shifting toward involvement and engagement.
In the spring of 2021, Krysta was contacted to support the start of two high school robotics (FIRST Tech Challenge) teams. This eventually led to an opportunity to work as a Prep Teacher at St. Anthony’s School in Kitimat, where Krysta helped bring robotics programs into the classrooms of younger students. She is now the lead mentor for the Kitimat Sentinels, a FIRST Robotics Competition team, & extracurricular program at Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School. From 2023 through the end of 2025, Krysta served as the Partnerships and Fundraising Manager for FIRST Robotics BC, supporting FIRST robotics programs across the province. All the while still supporting local teams & events in Kitimat and Terrace as a volunteer.
Her involvement with robotics is especially meaningful because it connects directly back to her own childhood. “I had this cool opportunity when I was in the eighth grade to see a robot,” she said. “I got really excited about it and actually completely pivoted my path towards becoming an engineer.” That early experience led to her own participation on a FIRST team & more than 15 years as a mentor, eventually inspiring her work in Kitimat.
Her approach to mentorship reflects the same mindset she brings to engineering and problem solving. “I’m that person that says, okay, you’ve got a crack in your foundation, let’s redesign it,” she said. “Let’s take advantage of something that you’re seeing—a gap, what’s missing, a niche, what’s not there.”
Another big change for Krysta came through sports. Encouraged by a student from the robotics team, she started playing soccer again. Eventually helping to start the women’s team for the Kitimat Football Club. This quickly became a key part of her social life and sense of belonging. “Soccer was the first place where I started to have adult friends,” she said.
For Krysta, the diversity of the Kitimat Football Club also mattered. “For me, coming to Kitimat as somebody who is ethnically different, it was a little nerve-wracking at first,” she explained. But that feeling changed once she became involved in soccer. “I did find people that looked like me. I did find people I related to. I found people who valued my opinion, who cared about improving, changing, growing, and learning.”
Through sports, robotics, and time outdoors with friends, Krysta has found a rhythm in Kitimat that balances social connection with personal well-being. She’s also supported organizing casual co-ed soccer games, creating the same welcoming environment that had helped her settle into the community.
At the same time, Krysta is building a career that reflects both her technical background and her interest in mentorship and community development. With a flexible skillset that allows her to work across a variety of technical and organizational roles, today Krysta works as an Automation Specialist at Rio Tinto BC Works.
The pace and atmosphere of Kitimat have continued to shape Krysta’s experience of the town. The access to nature, mountain views, and quieter lifestyle provide a balance she deeply values. She has also seen the community evolve during her time in Kitimat, with more openness to new ideas, programs, and initiatives. “I think my favourite thing to hear from people who have grown up here is, ‘This town looks so different from when I grew up here,’” she said.
Looking back, Krysta’s decision to move to Kitimat started as a career opportunity, but her decision to stay became something much more personal. In Kitimat, Krysta has found a place where she can grow, rebuild, contribute, and create a life that feels balanced and sustainable. Today, through robotics, sports, mentorship, and community involvement, she has built a life rooted in connection.
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WRITTEN BY:
Brandon Wirsz
