Kristen has the kind of drive, ambition and fast turnaround skills that make other creators look like they’re napping on the job. – Den of Geek

A New York-native, Kristen Maldonado is a jack of all trades with a deep rooted passion for the world of entertainment. She is a TV and film critic, on-camera host, content creator, writer, producer, and social media and digital content strategist with a proven history of creating impactful and engaging content that connects with fans on a personal level. Kristen is also a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic, a member of the Television Academy and Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, and a two-time Shorty Award winner. Additionally, she has a background in musical theatre and vocal performance.

Back in 2014, Kristen launched her YouTube channel as a place to discuss television, movies, conduct celebrity interviews, and create a positive and inclusive community in the entertainment space. She hosts the video podcast Pop Culture Planet featuring analytical pop culture discussions and interviews with diverse voices in the world of entertainment, which has since spun off into its own entertainment outlet – also called Pop Culture Planet – for further deep dives into television, movies, and interviews.

A notable queen of deep dives. – Den of Geek

Kristen is very passionate about using her platform to support inclusion and representation in all forms and this has allowed her to have eye-opening discussions on the female lens vs the male gaze, LGBTQ+ experiences on screen, the model minority, women in film, and much more. Kristen has vast experience covering film festivals, including Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, and Tribeca, and interviewing talent, including Winston Duke, Trixie Mattel, and Karen Gillan, just to name a few. She has also been featured on Den Of Geek, Rotten Tomatoes, Marvel, TRL, and Glamour Magazine, appeared on podcasts like Pro Socials Podcast, Diva Dailies, and This Week In Marvel, and partnered with a variety of companies for sponsored opportunities, including Quibi, Prime Video, Shudder, AMC+, Turner Classic Movies, and Sola Look Cosmetics.

Maldonado’s inspiring journey shows how having the ability to self-start can help creatives build a legendary career—one that begins by pulling the trigger themselves. – NWN Magazine

Kristen has also worked at MTV since 2013 and is currently Senior Manager of Social Media for the MTV Brand Social Team. During her time at MTV, she has worked across the MTV and MTV2 brand accounts, launched and grown the social and digital footprints of over 40 original shows (including Girl Code, Catfish, Faking It, True Life, the Teen Mom franchises, Wild ‘N Out, TRL, MTV Fresh Out), and worked on tentpoles like the Movie and TV Awards and Video Music Awards. Dubbed the “content capture queen,” she is known for her ability to work quickly and easily in any situation to capture original content with talent.

Kristen has hosted, written, and produced two original digital series for MTV: All The Feels, a digital recap show for Faking It giving a deeper look into each episode featuring cast interviews, and It Was All A Stream, a digital series breaking down what you need to be streaming each week in music, movies, and television. She was also featured as a music expert on TRL’s Fresh Out Friday panel discussing Shawn Mendes’ self-titled third album.

What draws Kristen to entertainment is the chance to learn more about the projects that she loves and then discuss it with other passionate fans. She has a diverse journalistic background, having worked in television, social media, radio, podcasts, writing, and online video, both on-screen and behind-the-scenes.

Previously, Kristen has worked with TheCelebrityCafe.com, celebrity blogger and TV personality Micah Jesse, News 12 Long Island, Marvel Entertainment, Fan TV, and ViacomCBS, working on TeenNick.com and Nicktoons.com.