Hawks to Watch: Kris Kennedy, associate creative director
Why Kris is a Hawk to Watch:Kris Kennedy has made a name for himself within creative circles with big ideas, ambitious media stunts and an unapologetic weirdness that’s become his signature style — The moon as a Corona beer lime wedge. Mini donkeys and Heinz ketchup bottles. A chicken nugget TV…
Hawks to Watch: Brent Lind, web developer
Why Brent's a Hawk to Watch:You’ve heard of Childish Gambino, My Morning Jacket, and Foster the People — now meet the Jayhawk who’s been backstage at nearly every show, making them sound flawless around the world for the last 15 years. Brent Lind graduated from the University of Kansas in 2003…
Hawks to Watch: Vanessa Delnavaz, collection manager
Why Vanessa's a Hawk to Watch: Behind every life, there’s a story. The same could also be said of every species — and indeed, every specimen. And the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has a lot of stories to tell. Millions of them, in fact. There, Vanessa Delnavaz and her team are…
Hawks to Watch: Aric Toler, digital investigator
Why Aric's a Hawk to Watch:Russian spies. Chemical weapons attacks. Drug lords, drones, conspiracy and war crimes. A day at ‘the office’ is anything but ordinary for Aric Toler. As the director of research and training at Bellingcat, an independent international collective of researchers and…
Hawks to Watch: Richard W. James, ceramicist + sculptor
Why Richard's a Hawk to Watch:Some professionals prefer not to mix their work and personal lives. For Richard W. James, the two are inextricably linked. Through his ceramic creations, the visual artist has made a career building a world that’s at once of his own making and also a reflection of the…
Hawks to Watch: Jomana Qaddour, foreign policy professional
Why Jomana's a Hawk to WatchQuestions about America’s role on the global stage are deeply complex and often controversial: When is intervention appropriate? When is it not? Who gets to decide? Those issues are only further complicated during times of war and political unrest abroad. Through her…
Hawks to Watch: Don Davis, senior director of player affairs for the NFLPA
Why Don's a Hawk to WatchDon Davis’s love for the game of football runs deep. With two Super Bowl rings to his name and 11 years of professional playing experience under his belt, the Kansas native is continuing to leave his mark on the sport — this time, off the field.Born and raised in Olathe,…
Hawks to Watch: Heba Mostafa, molecular virologist
Why Heba's a Hawk to Watch:When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, KU community members across the globe joined forces (There was a link here, but the page no longer exists) to curb the disease’s spread and provide relief to communities in need, showing the world what’s possible when…
Hawks to Watch: Rhianna Jordan, professional dancer
Why Rhianna's a Hawk to Watch:A dance studio is many things at once — a space for experimentation, collaboration, and artistic expression. But for Rhianna Jordan, it’s more than that. It serves as a site not only for practice runs and carefully choreographed performance — but also for profound…
Hawks to Watch: Kelly Houghteling, Deputy Town Administrator
Why Kelly's a Hawk to Watch:Kelly Houghteling is always up for an adventure. When she's off the clock, you can expect to find her outdoors hiking, biking, and fly-fishing in the Rocky Mountains, which she calls home. She even made the trek up to the 19,341-foot summit of Africa's highest mountain,…