Richard Reeves: Rethinking Men’s Health and Social Connection

Join us at the Art & Wellness Festival for a thought-provoking conversation with Richard Reeves, acclaimed author, policy thinker, and founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men.

Reeves’ recent work explores the urgent intersections of health, mental health, fatherhood, and male belonging, offering new perspectives on how friendship, civic engagement, and supportive male spaces can strengthen individual wellbeing and the fabric of our communities.

With candor and insight, Reeves sheds light on the challenges—and opportunities—facing men today, and how reimagining these connections can help foster resilience, purpose, and healthier futures for us all.

Tickets are $25 ($20 for members), reserve your spot online or with Guest Experience at (479) 657-2335 today.

Richard V. Reeves

Richard V. Reeves is a public intellectual, best-selling author, and influential social commentator whose work centers on two vital questions: Where do inequalities persist in society today, and how can we most effectively address them? Richard was named one of America’s top 25 thinkers by Politico for his incisive examination of class dynamics in contemporary America, explored in his book Dream Hoarders.

His latest book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do About It, was hailed as a “landmark” by The New York Times and was recognized as a book of the year by President Obama, The New Yorker, and The Economist. Richard’s forensic analyses of societal trends—including class, race, gender, health, and family life—deliver critical insights that shape policy, inform politics, and influence culture.

He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and Chair of the UK Institute for Boys and Men. Previously, as a senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, he directed the Center for Children and Families and the Future of the Middle Class Initiative.

Richard’s career has encompassed roles in national journalism, think tank leadership, government, and public policy. He is the author of six books which have been translated into 15 languages.

His lifelong commitment to reducing inequality deepened during the writing of his critically acclaimed biography of John Stuart Mill, the 19th-century philosopher and political economist. Mill argued that a thriving society depends on providing equal opportunities for all to contribute to and benefit from its social, political, and economic systems.

Early in his career, Richard was named European Business Speaker of the Year and continues to be a sought-after speaker for prestigious events such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Milken Institute Global Conference, TED, and The Economist Open Future Festival. His 2023 TED Talk on boys and men earned a rare standing ovation, and his Big Think interview on the same subject garnered over 10 million views, winning the 2024 Webby People’s Choice Award. Richard earned a BA from Oxford University, a PhD in Philosophy from Warwick University, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Theology from Trinity College, Toronto.

He is a regular guest on major media platforms including CNN, CBS, Fox, MSNBC, NPR, PBS, BBC, late-night TV, as well as popular podcasts. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Politico, The Atlantic, National Review, and The Free Press. He also writes a Substack column.

British-born, Richard now lives in the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee with his American wife and beloved dogs. He is the proud father of three adult sons.