ICM Partners has hired political strategist Hannah Linkenhoker to offer advisory services to clients interested in issue-oriented political engagement, the talent and literary agency announced Wednesday. Linkenhoker joins the agency from NMA Consulting Partners, which has offices in L.A. and San Francisco, where she has served as managing director since 2015.
Managing Partner Chris Silbermann said ICM is responding to the post presidential election climate that has many clients increasingly concerned about political matters and wanting to leverage their celebrity to increase awareness.
“We serve a community, and our job is to help encourage leadership and engagement within the community,” he said. “The best thing we can do is be smart and provide intelligence and solutions.”
Silbermann himself has been highly visible on the Hollywood political scene. Last March, he and his wife, Julia Franz, held a star-studded reception for Hillary Clinton at their Santa Monica home. A reported 150 guests attended the reception, where tickets were $2,700 per person. However, the executive said Linkenhoker’s mission will be to serve ICM clients, not to further his own agenda.
“I have my own leanings, and everybody knows which way I lean,” Silbermann said. “We have clients who might not totally agree with me. We are just saying, come look at the world from a smart place, an intelligent place, and try to offer solutions.”
Linkenhoker’s expertise on policy issues includes education reform, travel and tourism, civil rights, campaign finance, clean energy, water and sanitation, and the homeless crisis. She has worked in partnership with Water.org, the National Democratic Institute and other global NGOs. In 2016, Linkenhoker co-founded the Los Angeles Women’s Collective, committed to electing more women to higher office.
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