Charles Hokanson is Senior Vice President - Florida Community Engagement for Helios Education Foundation, where he leads Helios' staff engagement with the community and stakeholders to improve quality, access, and achievement across the birth-16 education continuum.

Mr. Hokanson’s career has bridged the worlds of nonprofit, private sector, and government policy development and executive management. As President and CEO of Hokanson Consulting Group LLC, Mr. Hokanson provided strategic and public policy advice to nonprofit, think tank, trade association, and federal and state agency clients.  Mr. Hokanson previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, as president or executive vice president of three national education reform nonprofits, and as professional staff to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. Hokanson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, earning a BA in History and American Studies and an MA in History, before earning JD and Master of Public Policy degrees at the Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

He currently serves as Chairman of the Florida Education Foundation’s Board of Directors and sits on the governing boards of the Florida Chamber Foundation, Florida Philanthropic Network, and Hostelling International USA. Mr. Hokanson is also a member of the advisory boards for the Florida College Access Network (serving as Chairman), Florida TaxWatch’s Center for Educational Performance and Accountability (as Vice Chairman), the Florida College System’s Student Success Center, the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, and the Center for Postsecondary Success at Florida State University.