Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Brian Hooks is an American nonprofit executive and strategist, best known as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Stand Together, a philanthropic organization formerly known as the Koch family's network of nonprofits. He assumed this role in 2018, overseeing the strategic direction and operations of various initiatives funded by the organization, focusing on areas such as education reform, criminal justice, economic policy, and community development. Stand Together was rebranded in 2018 from its previous iterations like the Seminar Network and aims to foster free-market principles and individual liberty through grants, advocacy, and partnerships. Hooks has been instrumental in expanding the organization's influence, collaborating closely with Charles Koch, co-founder of Koch Industries, as a professional partner in advancing these causes.
Prior to his current position, Hooks held several leadership roles within the Koch network. He served as CEO of the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation from 2011 to 2018, where he directed philanthropic efforts supporting research and education in social and economic policy. Before that, he was executive director of the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) from 2007 to 2011, a think tank promoting classical liberal ideas through academic programs and fellowships. Hooks joined the Koch organizations in 2003 as a program officer at the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation. His career reflects a commitment to libertarian and conservative philanthropy, emphasizing market-based solutions to societal challenges. Hooks has been involved in high-profile efforts, including criminal justice reform through organizations like the Coalition for Public Safety and education initiatives via Stand Together Education.
Hooks maintains a low public profile, with limited personal details available. He is recognized within conservative and libertarian circles for his strategic acumen in building networks of influence, though his work has drawn criticism from progressive groups for advancing Koch interests in policy arenas. No major legal controversies or personal scandals are publicly documented, but his leadership has been scrutinized in broader discussions of dark money in politics and the influence of billionaire philanthropy.