Matthew Hiltzik


Matthew Hiltzik is an American attorney, public relations and communications consultant, and the founder of the strategic communications and consulting firm Hiltzik Strategies, which represents high-profile organizations and individuals.

Early life and education

Hiltzik was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, and graduated from the Ramaz School. He attended the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and then the Fordham University School of Law.

Career

After law school, he worked as press secretary and deputy executive director of the New York State Democratic Committee, where he worked on the 1998 campaigns of Chuck Schumer and Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton's Listening Tour in July 1999. In December 1999, Hiltzik joined Miramax as head of corporate communications, where he was involved in public relations for Miramax Films, Miramax Books, Miramax TV, Talk magazine, philanthropic and political fundraising and crisis management.
In 2000, Hiltzik took a brief leave from Miramax to re-join Hillary Clinton's campaign as the director of Jewish relations. He soon left politics to rejoin with the Weinstein brothers, after the brothers finalized their deal to leave Miramax. Hiltzik teamed up with the U.K.-based publicity company, Freud Communications, to start up their U.S. operations. He went out on his own in early 2008 to start up Hiltzik Strategies. Hiltzik maintains his political roots advising Jose Antonio Vargas's DefineAmerican campaign to elevate the national conversation about immigration policy and to pass the DREAM Act, and Thomas DiNapoli in his successful bid for New York State Comptroller. He also served on New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio's 2014 Inaugural Committee.

Film and print media

He was executive producer of the documentary films Documented, The Barn, Paper Clips and Holy Land Hardball; and co-produced the documentary . He is also a contributor to the Jewish magazine Tablet.

Recognition and board memberships

In 2012 Hiltzik was honored by the New York Board of Rabbis for his work in the Jewish community.
In July 2015, Hiltzik was the first public relations professional to be named to the board of directors of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation that promotes economic growth throughout New York City.
Hiltzik was named to Sports Business Journal’s Power Players: Communicators & Storytellers list in 2017.
In 2017, he and his wife were honored at the Manhattan Jewish Experience's annual dinner.
He is a member of the New York State Bar Association.

Personal life

Hiltzik resides in New York City. He is married to wife Dana and has three children.