Adam Umhoefer

The world knows the Creative Artists Agency as a leading entertainment agency. But in addition to representing celebrities, actors, and sports heroes, CAA has a philanthropic arm, the CAA Foundation. Adam Umhoefer is an executive at the CAA Foundation, where he helps connect creatives to charitable groups and social causes.

As leader of CAA’s climate and sustainability work, Umhoefer is helping save the planet through initiatives like the Climate Storytelling Fellowship, which rewards screenwriters with grants and mentors. Climate storytelling plays a key part in the fight against climate change because the stories viewers see on-screen can educate as well as entertain, thereby moving hearts and minds to take action.

To this end, Umhoefer also helped launch Good Energy’s Climate Storytelling Playbook, a resource for writers that provides educational tools on climate science as well as partnership opportunities. For his endeavors, Forbes this year recognized Umhoefer as one of the top climate leaders changing the film and TV industry.

Earlier, Umhoefer worked on President Obama’s 2008 campaign and served as executive director of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, where he led the charge on defeating Proposition 8 in California and helped pave the way for national marriage equality.

Be it for LGBTQ+ equality or the future of Earth, Umhoefer is striving for a brighter future: “I work to create opportunities for artists and athletes to boldly engage on issues from LGBTQ+ rights to climate change, while sending a message to young people everywhere that they can be who they want to be, love who they want to love, and make the world a better place along the way.” @oomhayfur