This social map illustrates what PCAH members have in common, from Harvard University to the Aspen Institute to Hollywood.

It’s not like being named the ambassador to London or Paris, but an appointment to the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities is one of the cushier rewards for supporting a presidential candidate. And the 26 members President Barack Obama named earlier this week seemed like a motley group, with little in common except an ability to raise campaign money. Vogue magazine’s Anna Wintour and Minnesota State Senator Richard J. Cohen? Yo-Yo Ma and the guy who made a pre-fab house that floats?

Disparate, yes. But these 26 private-sector appointees are intricately connected through years of leadership in the overlap of politics, arts and culture. Studying their resumes, some clear patterns and paths emerge. So if you aspire to discuss the future of the humanities with, among others, Michelle Obama (the honorary chair), read on. Here’s a breakdown of the committee members, their connections to each other and the spheres they influence.

An interesting social map of appointments I've found a little disappointing (i.e., no librarians, no humanities people, no visual artists).