Kevin Hopkins

Kevin Hopkins is the Policy Director of R Street’s Technology and Innovation program. He leads the program in producing research in all technology areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), misinformation and disinformation, online content policy, telecommunications policy, patent reform, antitrust policy, internet governance, broadband service and regulation, robotics, augmented and virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, blockchain and cryptocurrency, pharmaceutical industry, and others.

Before joining R Street, Kevin co-founded Crowdz, a Silicon Valley-based technology startup specializing in blockchain-based receivables financing via AI-directed risk rating and automated pricing. He was also the founder, CEO, and technology director for Icadia, a Utah-based technology startup focused on enhanced internet search aimed at significantly increasing the accuracy and relevance of search results for retail products.

Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the world-renowned Hudson Institute, where he directed several six-figure public policy research projects for the U.S. government, Policy Research Director for The Communications Institute, a free-market think tank, and Marketing & Product Director for Intacct (now Sage Intacct), the world’s leading online accounting platform.

In government, Kevin has served as Director of the White House Office of Policy Information, Economic Policy Director for the White House Office of Policy Development, consulting Senior Policy Counsel for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and consulting Senior Policy & Communications Counsel for the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. He also worked as Director of Policy & Technology for the Mayor of the City of San Diego.

Kevin has authored numerous published books & research studies on a wide range of public policy issues and has published a novel, Skylight, which promotes free-market energy & environmental policies. And he served for 23 years as a senior contributing editor for Business Week magazine, where he published several dozen research articles on public policy & technology issues.

Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. He also carried out PhD studies in economics and mathematics at both the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of California, Los Angeles. His career highlights include winning awards in novel-writing and product-development competitions, as well as being recognized as San Diego’s Marketer of the Year.

Kevin resides in Sandy, Utah, with his wife Mary and their son Brandon, cherishing fond memories of their beloved pets, seal-point Siamese cat Layah and Sheltie dog Casey.