Meet Katie

I’m Katie Hawley, and I’m running to be the first District 5 Council Member who rents and works in Chico’s core neighborhoods.

After moving to Chico from the socially isolated and car-dependent suburbs of San Diego, it became clear to me that interconnected city design results in interconnected communities. Chico’s tight-knit community, stunning urban forest, and charming neighborhoods gave me hope for building a future here. Being an environmental educator has allowed me to learn from many generations of visionary community leaders. Working in the non-profit sector taught me that our residents diverse skills, identity, experience, and knowledge are incredibly valuable to Chico.

After earning my Bachelors degree from Chico State, I felt like I still had more questions than answers, so I kept studying. Long nights spent deconstructing political puzzles for my Master’s in Political Science helped me understand the value of research, but without being able to direct policy change, I felt unfulfilled. So, I volunteered to help canvass for the Stop Valley’s Edge campaign, pursued a job in climate action, and am now running for City Council.