Brooks named president and CEO of George W. Bush Presidential Center
Shilo Brooks, former Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization senior leader, has been named president and Chief Executive Officer of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. He will also join the Bush Foundation’s board of directors.
Brooks is currently the executive director of Princeton University’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, focused on exploring enduring questions of American constitutional law and Western political thought.
“Shilo is a brilliant thinker who has developed programs that help people grasp America’s founding principles and civic responsibilities,” said President George W. Bush. “He understands and professes the importance of leadership in our society. Shilo’s expertise in civil discourse, civic literacy and American political thought align with the values and mission of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. The energy and intellect he will bring to our policy work and community engagement will benefit the North Texas community and beyond. Laura and I are thrilled to welcome Shilo and his family back home to Texas.”
In his role at CU’s Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization, Brooks led programming that championed civil discourse, civic literacy and the exploration of American political thought. He also designed and directed the school’s Engineering Leadership Program, which creates cross-disciplinary opportunities for students to examine technological advancements’ moral and political implications.
Brooks writes and lectures widely on topics in politics, leadership and the humanities, and is author of the forthcoming book “The Ambitious Soul.” He frequently appears on podcasts and in the media. His upcoming podcast project with The Free Press, Old School, will focus on encouraging intellectual engagement and personal growth through reflection on transformative books and the guidance they provide for everyday life.
“The Bush Center is uniquely positioned to lead a national conversation about the enduring principles and ideas that animate the American spirit,” Brooks said. “The Bush Center’s focus on engaged citizenship, compassionate leadership and ensuring opportunity through freedom and accountability deeply resonates with me. I am honored and excited to join the Bush Center’s excellent team, whose commitments to scholarship, public service and public education shine edifying light on the world, our nation, my home state of Texas and the North Texas community.”
Concurrent with his appointment at the Bush Center, Brooks will join SMU as Professor of the Practice in the Political Science Department, Senior Fellow at the Center for Presidential History, and Senior Fellow at the Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs. Brooks has also held faculty appointments at Bowdoin College and the University of Virginia. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College in Annapolis and his Ph.D. in political science from Boston College. He is a West Texas native, and he and his wife have one daughter.