Kailey Hunt joined the KUT newsroom in July 2022, covering Williamson County.
Prior to joining the KUT newsroom, she worked at the “Corpus Christi Caller-Times,” covering public safety and breaking news, and interned in a local TV newsroom covering local and state politics. She also did a stint at the U.S. State Department.
An eighth-generation Texan, Kailey graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in International Relations and Global Studies with a minor in Arabic (and was a member of the women’s rowing team!).
Connect with Kailey @KaileyEHunt or email her with a news tip.
What are you listening to these days?
My reporting often takes me to different cities and towns in WilCo, which requires a lot of driving. It’s during these commutes in my car that I do most of my “listening” these days.
Lately, I’ve really enjoyed listening to the “New Heights” show with Jason and Travis Kelce. I’m not a huge Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs fan (How ‘bout them Cowboys?), but I really appreciate the brothers’ sense of humor and insights into the NFL.
I also frequently find myself tuning into KUT News. It’s a good opportunity to catch up on local news and hear what my colleagues have been working on. I also really enjoy tuning into statewide and national shows like the “Texas Standard” and WAMU and NPR’s “1A.”
Read anything interesting lately?
Right now I’m in the process of reading “The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution” by Peter Hessler. The book follows Hessler’s experience as a foreign correspondent for “The New Yorker” in Cairo during the Arab Spring. It also includes lots of history about Egypt and its archaeological sites, which I love (fun fact: I considered becoming an archaeologist before I entered journalism).
Next on my list to read is “The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood. I was first introduced to Ali’s romance novels after moderating a panel with her at last year’s Texas Book Festival. It’s a nice change of pace from some of the other types of readings I do, and I really enjoy that much of her writing centers on women in STEM fields and academia.
What are you loving about WilCo lately?
It sounds really cheesy, but the thing I love about WilCo the most right now is having my family nearby. My parents and most of my siblings still live in Leander, which is where I grew up and went to high school. I’m really close with my family, so having the opportunity to drop in for a visit or home-cooked meal any time I want is amazing.