Doug Hooker

Doug Hooker is a visiting Senior Fellow and Professor of Practice at the Urban Studies Institue. He teaches Practices in Urban and Regional Governance this fall- 2025 (URB 8097). He is the former executive director of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the agency that organizes community and development strategies to support the Atlanta region’s growth and competitiveness. Throughout his career, Doug has worked for public and private sector organizations, including: Georgia Power Co., the City of Atlanta’ the State Road & Tollway Authority, and Atkins Global, an international engineering consulting firm. He was also active in his profession, having served as the President of the Executive Directors’ Council of the National Association of Regional Councils. He was a cofounder of the Major Metros forum of this same association.

Doug has been and continues to be active in community organizations with current board or advisory board service, serving as chairman for the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the board of the Fox Theatre,  the Ivan Allen College Advisory Board, His past service has included board or advisory board service for the Atlanta Music Project, Agnes Scott College, the School of City and Regional Planning (at Georgia Tech), the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance (of which he was one of the three founders), the Council for Quality Growth, CHRIS 180, the Georgia Tech National Advisory Board, the (Georgia Tech) Civil & Environmental Engineering Advisory Board, Atlanta Technical College, the Emory University Board of Advisors (which he chaired), the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Conservancy, the Piedmont Park Conservancy, and the Trust for Public Land (Georgia Chapter). He served on the inaugural board of directors for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, helping to set policy for long-term water resource management for the Atlanta region. Prior to that he also served on the board of Research Atlanta, the Regional Leadership Forum and the Civic League – all dedicated to providing elected leaders and citizens with data based policy recommendations and input.

Doug is a frequent speaker for civic, nonprofit, and educational organizations around the region, the nation. He is an alumnus of Leadership Georgia, the Regional Leadership Institute, Leadership Atlanta, the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership, and Leadership PBS&J. Throughout his career, his professional and civic leadership has been recognized often. He received the inaugural Aero Honors award from Aerotropolis Atlanta, the inaugural Regional Leadership Impact award from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s RLI program, the Lifetime Leadership Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle during its 2021 Most Admired CEO Awards banquet. He also received the 2021 President’s Award from the National Association of Regional Councils for distinguished service to the profession. In 2020 he was awarded the Donald C. Stone Award for the Outstanding Practitioner from the American Society for Public Administration. This fall, he and his wife will be honored with the “Heroes, Saints & Legends” award given by the Wesley Woods Foundation.

Past awards and recognitions include the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Ivan Allen College School of Public Policy, 100 Most Influential Georgians (Georgia Trend), 100 Most Influential Atlantans (Atlanta Business Chronicle), 10 Most Influential Atlantans (Atlanta Tribune), the Lauren Solomon Trailblazer Award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), the Whitney Young Leadership Award from the Atlanta Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and an Excellence in City Government award from the Atlanta City Council. Doug has also been honored by the Mayor and Council of Atlanta with a Doug Hooker Day proclamation.

Hooker holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Technology & Science Policy degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology; he also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business.

Doug’s hobbies include composing music of all types. He composes, having composed works for orchestra, chorus, string quartet, and solo instrumentalists. He sings with The Trey Clegg Singers, and he studies and plays the oboe. He and his wife love to travel; Doug has been to all fifty states and the seven continents. He loves spending time with his grandchildren, his siblings and friends, and reading.