Patrick M. Brenner: Founder, President

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, eventually taking charge of the Rio Grande Foundation’s donor development as the Vice President, growing the Foundation’s donor engagement program. 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, and he has appeared in newspapers and on radio and television throughout the nation, including MSN, Fox News, Yahoo, The Daily Caller, Newsmax, Albuquerque Journal, 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. Patrick and his wife Christina live in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with their three children, Charlotte, Marie, and David. He is a pilot, avid cyclist, amateur historian, ballroom dancer, and former aquarist. The family enjoys frequent trips to the Albuquerque Aquarium and less-frequent visits to state and national historic sites.

The Latest from Patrick

  • Championing Freedom: Joining the Freedom Conservatism Movement
    At the Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), our mission has always been clear: to be the vanguard of free-market ideals and hold government structures accountable for the betterment of the American Southwest. As we move forward in our relentless pursuit of these ideals, we are elated to announce our recent alignment with the Freedom Conservatism … Read more
  • Newsmax: A Highwater Mark for Crypto Regulatory Clarity
    Originally published at newsmax.com on August 1, 2023. The recent legal victory of Ripple Labs Inc. in the case brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the sale of its XRP token marks a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency industry. This landmark ruling not only vindicates Ripple but also paves the way for much-needed … Read more
  • Daily Caller: Gavin Newsome Should Rebuild His State’s Power Grid Instead of Destroying Everyone Else’s
    Originally published at dailycaller.com on July 25, 2023. California’s power grid has been experiencing instability due to its outrageous energy goals, lack of nuclear power in its target portfolio mix, and recent heat waves. Governor Gavin Newsom has touted the state’s efforts to bolster renewable energy, but the reality is far from achieving those goals. The intermittent nature of … Read more
  • SPPI-TV Ep. 17: What’s the right minimum wage?
    In the latest episode of SPPI-TV, join us for a thought-provoking discussion on one of the most debated topics in public policy: the minimum wage. Our guest, Rebekah Paxton, Director of Research and State Coalitions at the Employment Policies Institute, brings her expertise to shed light on this critical issue. Hosted by D. Dowd Muska, … Read more
  • Fox News: Hit the brakes on Elizabeth Warren’s beleaguered bureaucracy
    If the CFPB is watching financial institutions for bad behavior, who’s watching the CFPB?