About Hoyt Hilsman
Posted: July 15th, 2007
Last Update: July 15th, 2007
09/06/2007


HOYT HILSMAN grew up in Washington, D.C., where his father worked on Capitol Hill and was Assistant Secretary of State for John F. Kennedy. In college at Columbia University and later at Columbia Law School, Hoyt was active in politics, working with a young Bill Clinton and others who later became national leaders. After law school, Hoyt worked in the Federal Legal Services program, helping the poor, unemployed and disabled, at a state prison representing indigent inmates.

Deciding to pursue his dream of becoming a writer, Hoyt left the legal field to become a journalist, playwright and screenwriter. Since then, with the support of his wife Nancy, Hoyt has had a very successful career - winning numerous awards for his writing. He has been a contributor to the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and a number of other national publications. His plays have been produced in the United States and abroad, and he has written screenplays for movie studios and television networks. While he and Nancy raised their son Michael, Hoyt also authored several books on media and communications and taught at UCLA, Pepperdine and Pasadena City College.

Never losing his interest in the public discussion of ideas and policies, Hoyt has been continually involved in politics. He has worked as an advisor to a number of congressional campaigns and was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He also was invited to the California State Convention earlier in 2007.

Hoyt is a Director at the Hope Street Group, a bipartisan organization of professionals in business and academia dedicated to equality of opportunity and economic growth. In his work with this group, Hoyt has participated in several national task forces focusing on education, health, housing, tort reform, corporate welfare and other issues. Through the Hope Street Group, Hoyt has been able to help shape the debate surrounding the most important issues of our day and has helped keep policy makers focused on solving problems for ordinary Americans.

Hoyt is also active as a community volunteer. He has taught creative writing to students in the public schools in East Los Angeles through a volunteer program at PEN West. He has also volunteered at Union Station (a homeless shelter in Pasadena), and been active in the Writers Guild and other community organizations.