Arthur Brooks is Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Arthur C. Patterson Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School. Before joining the Harvard faculty in July of 2019, he served for ten years as president of the Washington DC-based American Enterprise Institute (AEI), one of the world’s leading think tanks.

He is the bestselling author of 11 books, and has gained such notoriety and influence at the highest levels of the U.S. government that a sitting senator urged members of Congress to consider electing Brooks Speaker of the House. His focus on human flourishing and his advocacy for leveraging the free market system to lift people out of poverty has even led to a personal friendship with the Dalai Lama.

A sought-after speaker, Brooks has appeared on stages around the world, including TED conferences, the Aspen Ideas Festival, and countless other prominent venues. And he recently produced and played a starring role in the hit Netflix documentary “The Pursuit.”

The most celebrated player to ever put on an Atlanta Hawks uniform and represented in front of State Farm Arena by an 18,500-pound bronze statue, Wilkins is currently the Hawks’ Vice President of Basketball and Special Advisor to the CEO.

Additionally, Wilkins has an extensive entrepreneurial career. In what Barron’s called a “full court press for tech,” Wilkins has partnered with consulting powerhouse 3Ci to “connect software developers and coders from underserved communities with start-ups.” Some of his other entrepreneurial endeavors include a collaboration with a craft brewing company, a high-end cigar line, and more.

Wilkins is also extremely active with local and national charity endeavors. He has done work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Special Olympics, Muscular Dystrophy Association and American Lung Association. In July 2007, Wilkins launched “Nique and Newt’s Full-Court Press on Diabetes” with former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. In March 2010, Wilkins was honored by the Georgia State Legislature as they presented a State Resolution naming him the Diabetes Ambassador for the state of Georgia. He is also a diabetes ambassador for Novo Nordisk, a world leader in Diabetes care.