Kris Vallay (52) was born and raised in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.

She moved to South Gippsland at age 18 where she studied Social Welfare Studies at the local university.

Kris began her working life helping kids who had been born into adverse conditions.

She married at 22 years of age and began her own family at 24.

Her four kids were diagnosed with ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’ in the 2000s and for over a decade she focussed solely on their care.

She began to blog her experiences in real time, and one of those was published as a chapter in the book

Achieving with Autism (2012), a collection by ‘Women in Community’.

A compilation of these blogs, her first solo book The Gift was published in 2018.

In the book, Kris uses her own direct observation and experiences to outline the world of Autism and how living with a Neurodivergence is a gift.

Kris has worked as a Disability Outreach worker, had a video editing business and even sold her crochet creations for a while.Kris went on to open a smoothie bar – the manifestation of her true passions – in a small country town adjacent to her hometown.

There Kris enjoys helping others with their health, mindset and life journeys.

She has also taken to the stage numerous times when invited to share her heartfelt life story and lessons with others.

The One was written over many nights and weekends as a passion project; in between all the things that come with full-time work, sole parenting, travel and dating.