Alfonso grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts. As a teenager, she was an above-average student whose extra-curricular activities were divided between rigorous ice skating and dance classes. Alfonso won the gold medal in figure skating at the Junior Olympics when she was only 13-years old. The combination of innate athletic ability and a fierce competitive spirit made Kristian a natural to compete in the Olympics, but an unfortunate sledding accident ended both her skating and dancing careers. That tragedy quickly turned into an opportunity for Alfonso when Wilhelmina, the world-famous modeling agency, persuaded her to enter the glamorous world of cover girls.

By the age of 15 Alfonso had graced the covers of 30 international magazines including Vogue and Bazaar. NBC casting director Vicki Rosenberg saw Alfonso's picture in a magazine and cast her opposite Rock Hudson in the movie-of-the-week "Starmaker." In 1984, Kristian joined the cast of "Days of our Lives" and created one of television's most beloved heroines, Hope Williams.

Alfonso starred for two years as 'Pilar Ortega' on CBS-TV's nighttime drama, "Falcon Crest." In addition to her busy schedule, Alfonso hosted "Love Stories," a half-hour syndicated reality show which focused on relationships in the '90s. She also starred opposite Dolph Lundgren in the feature film "Joshua Tree." Alfonso co-starred with Kate Jackson in the CBS movie of the week "Whatever Happened to Bobby Earl," portraying, against type, an evil manipulative woman. Alfonso starred with Shannon Doherty and Judd Nelson in the USA Cable Channel's suspense thriller "Blindfold." One of Kristian's favorite roles was as the cunning Hollywood madam, 'Lauren Etheridge,' on the immensely popular "Melrose Place" produced by Aaron Spelling.

Alfonso currently makes her home in Los Angeles with her husband and their sons, Gino, Spartan and Jack. Her birthday is September 5.