Kat O'Brien is an award-winning writer, producer, consultant, educator, and activist operating at the intersection of film & television, media & politics, comedy & social justice for over 20 years.
Kat O'Brien is a storyteller and changemaker, specializing in elevating historically excluded voices and perspectives in film, television, digital media, political, and social impact spaces through community building and connecting creatives to opportunities to collaborate.
STORYTELLER
In this role, Kat seeks to create pathways to platforms for diverse voices, inclusive content, civic and social movements to connect with the support needed to reach their audience and community through the development, production, and distribution of innovative storytelling for film, television, and digital media, as well as for strategic initiatives, and campaigns.
Over the past two decades, Kat has honed her expertise in story development as a writer, producer, director, and consultant of comedic, dramatic, and documentary content, operating in Hollywood and throughout the international film and TV industry. Currently, Kat's writing and producing slate includes features, prime time & children's television, content for the metaverse/Web3, and her debut novel.
Sought-after for her keen storytelling instincts and unique comedic voice, Kat has most notably been hired to rewrite a prestige-drama adaptation, reboot a beloved comedy franchise, and was entrusted to pen the sequel to China's first-ever romantic comedy, cult-favorite Waiting Alone. Whether writing original content or adapting the works of others, Kat gravitates towards purpose-driven content, and is passionate about helping those stories find their audiences.
She continually cultivates her expertise in story development as as a consultant, developing projects with some of Hollywood’s most respected companies and internationally acclaimed filmmakers. In her entertainment consultancy, Kat provides expert story analysis, and script consultation for studios, production companies, and independent filmmakers. For over 15 years, Kat's clients have won or been nominated for Oscars, Golden Globes, and Emmys.
Through her firm, KOB Magic Idea, Kat empowers people and organizations to reach their target audience by leveraging storytelling as a tool for social impact, meaningful change, and community building.
CHANGEMAKER
Leveraging her storytelling industry experience to elevate others, Kat is a teaching artist and community activist with a passion for mentoring up-and-coming content creators. During the COVID-19 Pandemic public school closures, Kat joined PBS' At-Home Learning in support of parents and educators to write articles about distance learning nationwide, and fiercely advocated for equitable access to remote learning in Chicago. As the Executive Producer of We Still Teach, a partnership between the Chicago Teachers Union and Fox32/My50 that put teachers on television, Kat helped Chicago bridge the digital divide and raise awareness for the imbalance of equity and access to opportunity during remote learning for families in a 100+ mile radius of the city. She continues to develop content and inclusion and belonging initiatives in the education and activism space.
Kat seeks to build systems and structures to engage and mobilize communities towards positive change. In 2021, she created ChiTown Screenwriting, a monthly, year-long run limited newsletter devoted to building community through connecting creatives to collaborative opportunities as we recovered from the impact of the global pandemic on the film and television industry. During this time, Kat was selected to join the inaugural cohort of the Constellation Incubator, which explored how to build a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy film industry for financiers, filmmakers, and audience goers alike. She was also invited to join the Video Team/Company for the (globally based) Social Justice Improv Project.
Throughout her career, Kat has served on numerous boards. From 2008-2010, she created the role of Communications Co-Director for Generation Obama: Los Angeles and its transition organization, Generation for Change. In 2009, she organized and co-founded a non-profit dedicated to supporting the arts to raise awareness for Marriage Equality. For the past 15 years, Kat has focused her community organizing efforts in support of local politics, prioritizing her advocacy around equitable access and inclusion in public education, healthcare, and public safety. She served as Secretary and then Chair of a Chicago Public Schools' Local School School from July 2020 - July 2023.
Kat lives in Chicago with her husband and two children.