THR Names Heidi Linnebach VP Entertainment and Awards Strategy

The Hollywood Reporter said Monday that it has named Heidi Linnebach vp entertainment and awards strategy.

In this newly created role, Linnebach will oversee the brand’s entertainment sales and awards strategy, including the continued development of its specials and features business. Based in Los Angeles, Linnebach will report to Lori O’Connor, executive vp and publisher. She begins her new role Monday.

Linnebach brings more than two decades of experience in media, entertainment and brand partnerships to the role. She most recently was vp sales, entertainment and sports at The Los Angeles Times, where she led the revitalization of The Envelope — the Times’ flagship awards-season publication — transforming it into a premium print and digital brand and expanding its ecosystem to include podcasts, roundtables and live events. Her work helped deepen advertiser relationships, grow newsletter subscriptions and drive new revenue streams through strategic partnerships and innovative digital offerings.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Heidi to our team,” O’Connor said. “Her exceptional track record in entertainment marketing, coupled with her entrepreneurial drive and strategic vision, makes her uniquely suited to enrich our awards and entertainment business. We’re confident she will play a key role in expanding our brand, deepening industry engagement, and driving innovation across all platforms.”

Linnebach began her career in media and advertising at the largest radio group in Hawaii, where she built a foundation in broadcast and brand partnerships before joining The Los Angeles Times in 2008 as a senior sales manager. She steadily rose through the ranks to become director of spirits and live entertainment before stepping into broader leadership roles across the entertainment and sports verticals. 

Earlier in her career, Linnebach held leadership roles at The Onion as advertising director. During that time, she also co-founded We Think Collective, a platform and podcast supporting female entrepreneurs, where she led mentorship and programming initiatives to help women launch or relaunch their businesses.

“I am thrilled to join The Hollywood Reporter and its talented team,” Linnebach said. “I look forward to leveraging my passion for storytelling and deep experience in entertainment marketing to enhance THR’s awards-season initiatives and create innovative experiences that engage both industry audiences and advertisers.”

Earlier this year, THR announced that it had promoted Beatrice Verhoeven, formerly deputy awards editor, to awards editor, and hired longtime contributor Brande Victorian on staff as deputy awards editor in a strategic move that demonstrated THR’s dominance in the awards space.

The news comes on the heels of THR’s 58 SoCal Journalism Awards nominations, including best website and three journalist of the year noms.

THR is a flagship entertainment media brand, offering in-depth reporting, analysis and thought-provoking reviews; unparalleled access, world-class photography and video; and feature exclusives in its award-winning weekly magazine and dynamic website. THR also boasts prestigious live events, industry-leading philanthropic, empowerment and diversity initiatives and hugely successful video series including the Emmy-nominated Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter