Patrick M. Brenner is the Founder and President of the Southwest Public Policy Institute, a research institute dedicated to improving the quality of life in the American Southwest by formulating, promoting, and defending sound public policy solutions.
Before launching SPPI, Patrick worked in public relations and marketing, then took charge of the donor engagement and government transparency litigation programs at the Rio Grande Foundation as the Vice President of Development. Patrick’s experience, advocacy for transparency, and desperate longing for accountable government have primed him for leading the American Southwest’s state-of-the-art think tank, where he empowers liberty through a data- and technology-fueled grassroots movement.
Patrick is the author of numerous policy studies. He has appeared in newspapers and on radio and television throughout the nation, including MSN, Fox News, Fox Business, AOL, The Washington Times, The Hill, National Review, Yahoo, The Daily Caller, Newsmax, Albuquerque Journal, Deseret News, The Daily Signal, The Federalist, American Banker, Las Cruces Sun-News, The Center Square, Santa Fe New Mexican, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, RealClear Policy, RealClear Markets, The Deming Headlight, and more.
Patrick helps instill American principles in his generation through his activism, is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and is a sitting board member of the Wilberforce Institute, a public policy think tank dedicated to advancing the recognition of the inherent value and dignity of life, promoting a market free from corrupt, collusive, and coercive government intrusion, and advocating for policies that benefit both human and animal interests. Patrick lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, with his wife Molly and their children, Charlotte, Marie, and David. He is a pilot, avid cyclist, amateur historian, ballroom dancer, and former aquarist. The family enjoys frequent trips to historic sites across the American Southwest.

855-411-7774 ext 5001
[email protected]
The Latest from Patrick
- Victory in Colorado: HB25-1282 DefeatedA harmful swipe fee price control bill was defeated in the Senate after passing the House, marking a major victory for economic freedom.
- Santa Fe New Mexican: Don’t waste the windfall; Use opioid settlement funds where they countOriginally published at santafenewmexican.com on April 26, 2025. America may finally be turning a corner in the opioid crisis. For the first time in years, overdose deaths are declining. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a 17% decrease in opioid-related fatalities between July 2023 and July 2024: a promising sign that prevention and… Read more: Santa Fe New Mexican: Don’t waste the windfall; Use opioid settlement funds where they count
- Ensuring Accountability and Impact in Opioid Settlement SpendingThe $26 billion opioid settlement offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to combat America’s deadliest drug crisis, if states and localities spend the funds transparently, strategically, and solely on opioid abatement.
- Fox Business: Credit card rewards are about to vanish, and guess who’s to blame?This isn’t just about miles and points; it’s about economic freedom and financial choice.
- American Banker: Death by a thousand caps—State laws could kill credit card rewardsA group of states are pursuing similar efforts to cap credit card interchange fees, endangering rewards programs that customers value, and raising concerns about an illegal interstate compact.