Hoyt R. Hilsman is an author, journalist and political figure. He has written novels, non-fiction books, plays and screenplays, and is a regular contributor to national media. He was a candidate for Congress in California in 2006 and 2008, and has been a delegate to the national and state Democratic conventions. He has been a director at the Hope Street Group, a bipartisan think tank whose members are committed to the equality of opportunity and economic growth. He was elected in 2015 to the Board of Trustees of Pasadena City College, defeating an incumbent by nearly a 2-1 margin.