You hear the name Hefner and odds are a few things come to mind. We don’t need to get into that right now, but if you’re still with me and not dreaming about…well you know, then you should know right now that Christie Hefner, daughter of Hugh, is more than her last name.

Hefner, age you don’t need to know because she looks amazing, has become huge in the charitable world, as well as the political one. She’s a champion of progressive candidates, women’s rights, the First Amendment and HIV/AIDs treatment. Since she stopped working at Playboy in 2009 (which she saved from going under, by the way), she has been a busy gal.

I was fortunate enough to interview her at the Newseum before she presented the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award, which champions “individuals who have made significant contributions in the vital effort to protect and enhance First Amendment rights for all Americans.”

The award was launched in 1979 at the National Press Club. It’s been given all over the country, but she picked DC this year because of the recent intersection of privacy and politics, she told me.

The Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald – whose reporting detailed NSA surveillance programs based on classified documents leaked by Edward Snowden – accepted the journalism award via video in the journalism category.

Additional recipients include:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Norman Dorsen

• Government: Muneer Awad

• Education: Mary Beth Tinker and Mike Hiestand

• Book Publishing: Thomas Healy

• Law: Christopher Finan

Here’s what Christie and I chatted about. It’s a little bit of personal and a little bit of business. And no, she and her father don’t have matching smoking jackets.

3 must-knows about the Foundation

“The activist arm of the Playboy philosophy. A chance for my father to put his money where his mouth is. A long-term commitment to civil liberties and social justice.”

“Women don’t help themselves if they aren’t skilled at being good negotiators at their own behalf. You get out of life not what you deserve, but what you negotiate for.”

Drink of Choice

“Glenlivet scotch, one ice cube.” (Yes, she’ll send it back if it comes with two.)

Best advice she ever got

When she was in transition from Playboy to her next job, she got this advice: “Don’t feel you have to say yes right away to the first thing’ that are offered to you.”

The Money Quote

“Women don’t help themselves if they aren’t skilled at being good negotiators at their own behalf. You get out of life not what you deserve, but what you negotiate for.”

 

More photos from the event: