Annie Kao (they/them) is a theatre maker, designer, and manager. They completed a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Stanford University before working as the Production Management Fellow at American Conservatory Theater during the 2019/2020 season.
Currently, Kao is in their last year completing an MFA in Theatre Production Management from Boston University with a Certificate in Project Management from The Metropolitan College. During their time at BU, they have focused on changing the status quo and advancing IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility) in the theatre industry. Their research has culminated in a podcast on access and disability justice in the theatre industry which HowlRound Theatre Commons will publish in November 2023.
They are a team member of IHCD’s User/Expert Labs. Most recently, they have been on the team consulting for Clark Art Institute and Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Their work focuses on how Human Centered Design not only creates a more inviting space for people with physical and/or mental disabilities but also how it can increase equity for other facets of identity, such as race, class, gender, and sexuality.
In addition to their work with IHCD, they are also the Managing Director of On with Living and Learning, an artist collective committed to racial and social justice.