Lori Hutchinson
- Contact
- Morgan HallSuite 1191700 SW College AveTopeka, KS 66621-1117785.670.1711
- Work Experience
- She’s spent more than 20 years in broadcast journalism as a news anchor/reporter and still does Wednesday’s Child, a weekly adoption feature on WIBW-TV Channel 13. Hutchinson also has a small media consulting company, working with clients to create, produce and place advertising.
- Special Interests
- Lori has served on numerous boards of directors in the community and is currently a board member of the Auburn-Washburn Public Schools Foundation and YMCA of Topeka. She and her husband, Doug, have three children.
- Career Accomplishments
Lori Hutchinson serves as executive director of strategic communications and marketing at Washburn University. She began her career with Washburn in 2013 as director of marketing and community relations at Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech). In October 2022, Lori assumed the additional role of interim director of public relations at Washburn University until accepting her current position in August 2023.
Lori is responsible for organization-wide brand consistency and works to develop and ensure a strong, unified message that promotes all Washburn offers. She leads campus-wide efforts to create the greatest value from our stories and the Washburn brand. She also reviews and approves marketing communications initiatives by individual units.
Lori grew up in Council Grove, Kan., and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Kansas State University in 1988. She then moved to Amarillo, Texas, where she worked as a producer, reporter and anchor for KVII-TV. After two years, she moved back to Kansas to take the role of main news anchor for KTKA-TV. Following nearly nine years at the ABC affiliate, she moved to CBS affiliate WIBW-TV where she served for five years as co-anchor of 13 News @10 p.m. In addition, she continues to air a weekly segment on WIBW-TV called Wednesday's Child, featuring kids in state care who need to be adopted.
During her 30 years in Topeka, Lori has served as a community volunteer for numerous agencies and organizations. In her free time, she enjoys attending Washburn activities, Kansas City Chiefs games and other athletic events. She also likes to walk, read and spend time with friends and family.
