Hope Hicks is the interim communications director for the White House, a job that Anthony Scaramucci vacated just 11 days later. There’s been a lot of turnover in the President Donald Trump’s administration lately, and Hick is definitely stepping into a career that could be quite stressful and unpredictable. But she’s survived this long as the White House Director of Strategic Communications, so she definitely seems to know what she’s doing. With a strong family background in politics, Hick has likely been prepared for this her entire life. Politico referred to her as the “untouchable Hope Hicks,” and as you read on about her family, you’ll see where she gets it from.
1. Hope Hicks’ Mom, Caye Ann Hicks, Worked for a Democrat Congressman When She Was Younger
GettyHope Hicks speaks on the phone at Trump Tower December 12, 2016 in New York.
Hope’s parents met in Washington, D.C., while Caye Hicks was a legislative aide for Congressman Ed Jones of Tennessee, a Democratic, and Paul Burton Hicks III was chief of staff for Congressman Stewart B. McKinney, a Republican.
Caye and Paul were guests at a speech President Ronald Reagan gave to a joint session of Congress and met accidentally when Paul asked Caye if she was sitting in his chair, Courant.com reported. It looks like opposites attract, because the two were married in 1982.
Caye has two sisters, Carole and Marian, but Marian has passed away.
When the news about Hope’s new job as announced, Caye told The New York Times, “Mr. Trump sat her down and said, ‘This is your new job.’ It was a shocker.” Earlier, she said that she hopes Secret Service is keeping Hope and everyone safe when violent protests break out at rallies. “I can’t actually let her know how worried I am,” she said.
2. Hope Hicks’ Dad, Paul Burton Hicks III, Worked for the NFL and Briefly Knew Manafort When He Was Much Younger
Fact checking ” no one gets dinner with Hope.” We had dessert too. #trumptrain
Hope’s dad, Paul Burton Hicks III, has a long history in politics and other high-profile positions. He was Regional CEO of the Americas for Ogilvy Public Relations and executive VP of communications for the National Football League from 2010 to 2015, serving as Roger Goodell’s right-hand man. He’s now managing director of Glover Park Group.
In the 1980s, Paul was elected as part of a trio of selectmen in Greenwich, known as “Margenot and the two kids.” He worked with Republican John B. Margenot, 60, and Democrat Ned Lamont, who was making his first political run.
Margenot said of Paul when he joined the NFL:
He knows people and knows how to present himself and the organization he’s with in the best possible way. I can’t imagine he’d be anything less than successful.”
Paul Manafort told Courant.com that he knew Paul Hicks back when Paul worked for Stewart McKinney. But he didn’t know Hope was Paul’s daughter until he went to his first Trump campaign event in mid-April.
In 2016, Paul was awarded the Chief’s Award from the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol, a local fire and police department that responds to about 80 to 180 calls a month. They held an event in Paul’s honor, with proceeds benefitting the purchase of much-needed new equipment. The local Greenwich Sentinel wrote:
People like Paul and Caye are what make Greenwich a wonderful community. They are quietly behind the scenes of many endeavors, and never seek the limelight.”
3. Hope and Mary Grace Were Well-Traveled Growing Up
GettyHope Hicks arrives at Trump Tower for meetings in January 2017.
Hope and her sister, Mary Grace, were well-traveled growing up. Mary told the Fairfield County Look that their parents took them many places, pushing them to be avid travelers who loved exploring new cultures. Mary said she hopes to one day have kids and raise them the same way.
Hope and her sister are still very closer to their parents. When Hope has a free night, she goes to her parents’ house in Greenwich, sometimes as late as 2 a.m., just to relax, The New York Times shared.
4. Hope Hicks’ Grandparents Had High-Profile Careers
Hope’s late paternal grandfather, Paul Hicks, was vice president and general manager of public relations for Texaco. He led PR for Texas during the 1970s oil crisis.
Her maternal grandfather, G.W. Franklin “Dutch” Cavender, was assistant administrator for the USDA during Johnson and Nixon’s administrations, The Washington Post reported. Her maternal grandmother, Marilee Boden Cavender, worked in public health and safety at the Tennessee Department of Public Health, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. She also served on the Presidential Study Commission and the National Commission on Product Safety.
5. Hope Hicks’ Sister, Mary Grace Cavender Hicks, Is an EMT Who Believes in Helping Others
Mary Grace and Hope were both teen models for a Ralph Lauren campaign. She runs every day, no matter how busy she gets, she told Fairfield County Look. Mary Grace went to college at Southern Methodist University and graduated from Hobart and William Smith in 2008, where she was working on her RN at the time. She loves nursing, she said.
There is something to be said for the adrenaline rush that you get when those lights and sirens go on… But it’s more about the fact that in their most vulnerable moments these people entrust us with their lives and I take great pride in that.”
Mary Grace and Hope have always been close. They lived together in Greenwich in an apartment above a dive bar while Hope was training at a PR firm.
In November 2016, Hope married Wyot Woods in Greenwich, according to her wedding registry on The Knot. She now works as an EMT for Greenwich Emergency Medical Services.
Read more about Mary Grace below:
