Brian Hooks

Brian Hooks is chairman and CEO of Stand Together, a philanthropic community that works with more than 700 business leaders and philanthropists to empower people to realize their unique potential and help every person rise.  Stand Together’s comprehensive approach to addressing the country’s biggest challenges includes support for more than 1,000 professors at over 300 universities, tens of thousands of K-12 teachers, more than 200 community-based organizations addressing persistent poverty, and millions of grassroots activists working to improve public policy.  Previously, he served as executive director and COO of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where he led strategy and operations for a growing research, education, and public policy center. He is co-author of the book, Believe in People: Bottom Up Solutions for a Top Down World , a national bestseller published in November 2020 by St. Martin’s Press. Brian was named to the 2021 TIME100 Next list, featuring leaders who are shaping the future of their fields. Brian serves on the boards of the Mercatus Center, Institute for Humane Studies, Reason Foundation and the Just Trust. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and daughter.