KT Hawbaker
Communications Manager, Builders Vision
Originally from rural Iowa, KT (they/them/theirs) is a storyteller and recovering journalist who serves as the Communications Manager at Builders Vision. An organizer and artist at heart, KT loves using stories to support BV's mission and build the platform's internal communities.
Social justice and creativity frequently overlap in KT's career. They have worked as an Arts & Entertainment Writer for the Chicago Tribune, where they were the first openly genderqueer writer in the paper's history. They were also a Marketing Manager with Emerald City Theatre, the only local theatre company to serve the city's 50 wards.
Most recently, KT was the Communications Associate with the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, where their strategic communications helped uplift and pass several bills protecting the rights of survivors.
KT graduated with honors from the University of Iowa, where they earned their B.A.'s in Creative Writing and Gender Studies; they then received their Masters in New Arts Journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
In their spare time, KT enjoys "running," making zines, fantasizing about their next tattoo, and drawing comics. In 2024, they joined the Board of the Chicago Women's Health Center, where they advocate for pro-trans, anti-racist practices in whole-body care and beyond. A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, KT envisions a world where all children — including their own two kiddos — can fully express their wonderful selves.