LOS ANGELES, USA // Kathryn Bakken was raised by an ad man in the era of Mad Men, so it seems, perhaps, inevitable that she would pursue a career in advertising and marketing. She has been a Creative Director at BLT for over 10 years and proudly identifies as a TV and movie nerd.  

That passion for entertainment has led to the creation of iconic award winning key art for, among many others, Lost and Men in Black. She was honored with an Addy award for her work at CNN, and has seen hundreds of her labors of love appear on billboards and displays all over the world. 

A committed social activist, Kathryn spent nearly fifteen years helping to secure the release of three innocent men from prison, jailed for a crime they didn’t commit. The case of the West Memphis Three, profiled in the award-winning Paradise Lost documentaries on HBO, inspired Kathryn and a group of friends to create a grassroots organization which transformed from a small website into a massive online presence. Through their innovative use of social media and marketing they were able to  impact and inform the public about the injustices of the case, appearing in the two successive documentaries about the case, ultimately resulting in the freeing of the three men August 9, 2011.

“If you’re lucky enough to be doing exciting, challenging and creative work, then you’re aware that it takes a great team of creative minds. That’s the environment where I thrive,” she says. 

When not tackling challenging marketing assignments or taking on the justice system she can often be found leading epic raids in virtual worlds (add gamer nerd to the list). Rare downtime is spent barricading her garden against raccoons in the wild hills of Los Angeles with her artist husband and two charismatic French Bulldogs by her side.