Disney Extends Its Contract with Former Clinton, Obama Staffer and Biden Vaccine Education Head Kristina Schake

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Disney revealed on October 16th that Kristina Schake will continue as Chief Communications Officer. She’s signed a two-year contract that will keep her with the company through the anticipated change in leadership when current CEO Bob Iger retires in 2026.

Before starting at Disney in 2022, Schake worked for Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and the Biden administration. Disney clearly felt she could easily move from the world of Washington politics to a corporate environment, and they’re looking for a communications leader who understands both.

When Politics Crosses with Entertainment

When Schake joined Disney in April 2022, Geoff Morrell, Disney’s head of corporate affairs, explained that her background in both government and business, along with her work on political and corporate campaigns, made her a great fit for the position.

Before joining Disney, Schake worked in technology and politics, not the entertainment industry. She previously managed global communications for Instagram and served as communications director for First Lady Michelle Obama. She also held a role as deputy communications director during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Most recently, before Disney, she led vaccine education efforts for the Biden administration.

Kristin Schake replaced Zenia Mucha as head of communications after Mucha decided not to renew her contract after almost 20 years with the company. This announcement came around the time Bob Iger initially stepped down as CEO. While Schake was originally hired during Bob Chapek’s time as CEO, the extension of her contract indicates that Iger is happy with her work, especially considering the recent challenges the company has faced.

I was really surprised to see everything happening with Disney and Florida politics. Just days before they announced Schake’s hiring, Disney publicly came out against Florida’s HB 1557 – that “Don’t Say Gay Bill” – and it seemed to backfire. By May of 2022, polls showed people were starting to view the Disney brand much less favorably, which was a shame to see.

Recently, Schake dealt with negative publicity involving Jimmy Kimmel. After the Charlie Kirk assassination, Kimmel falsely claimed on his late-night show that the shooter had ties to Trump supporters. This once again put Disney in a difficult position, leading to criticism from the FCC, its television stations, and the general public.

With entertainment and politics increasingly intertwined, having a communications expert like Schake could be beneficial. However, this also makes us wonder if this blending of the two worlds is just a passing trend, or something we’ll have to live with for a long time. Disney seems to believe it’s the latter, as evidenced by their decision to extend Schake’s contract for another two years.

Conclusion

It makes sense that Disney would choose someone with a strong political background for their top communications role, given how politically sensitive things are right now. However, some are questioning the choice because Schake has primarily worked for one political party.

Now that Bob Iger is leaving, the question is whether Disney will continue to be involved in political debates, like it was in Florida, or try to present a more neutral public face. The next CEO will likely play a big role in deciding that.

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2025-10-30 23:56