Mark McKinnon

Mark McKinnon is a political advisor, reform advocate, media columnist, and television producer. He is the creator, executive producer, and co-host of Showtime’s real-time documentary series "The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth," which has become the highest-rated unscripted program ever on Showtime. He was the chief media advisor to five successful presidential primary and general election campaigns, and is co-founder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to bipartisanship, civil dialogue, and political problem-solving.

McKinnon has worked with influential figures including former President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, the late former Governor Ann Richards, and musician and philanthropist Bono. He serves on the boards of several organizations focusing on political reform, including Take Back Our Republic, which emphasizes conservative approaches to electoral reforms. Additionally, McKinnon is involved with Represent.Us, a nonpartisan anti-corruption organization. His efforts extend into media consultancy, having advised on HBO’s "The Newsroom" and Netflix's "House of Cards." He is also a board member of the Austin Film Society.

His insights and expertise have earned him a place as a regular columnist for publications such as The Daily Beast and The Daily Telegraph (U.K.). President George W. Bush appointed McKinnon as a governor of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. McKinnon’s commitment to ethical political practices is evident in his co-founding of Mayday PAC, which aims to force ethics reform in the U.S. Congress. Throughout his career, he has been recognized with over 30 Pollie and Telly awards for his excellence in political and public affairs advertising. His educational contributions include lectures at prestigious institutions like the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he once served as editor of the award-winning university newspaper, The Daily Texan.