BRETT HOLMES

Director, Strategic Communications

Brett Holmes heads strategic communications at the Austin-based Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation. He drives communication strategies that advance the foundation and its program objectives, focusing on environmental conservation, water, sustainable energy, Galveston Island, and legacy issues. He also provides support for select grantees

Prior to joining the foundation's staff, Holmes guided CGMF's communications practices as a consultant from 2011 to 2024, developing and implementing the organization's comprehensive strategy and communications framework.

He is a trusted background source for news organizations such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Hill, Science Daily, NPR, The Economist, and The Washington Post. He provides story ideas and insights on a range of topics and issues.

His perspective was shaped by senior communications roles in the California governor's office and at a presidential library and policy center in the 1990s, bridging public policy, private sector interests, and public engagement.

Earlier in his career, Holmes served in the media relations department of the Los Angeles Dodgers and held two positions for seven years under the mentorship of a former Walt Disney Company senior marketing executive.

Holmes also serves as principal of Gray Suit Strategies, a consultancy providing business strategy and communications counsel to for-profit, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations. A seasoned entrepreneur with three successful exits, he brings a results-driven approach to identifying opportunities and scaling solutions. His advisory work spans e-commerce, food and beverage innovation, art, film, policy advocacy, trading, and social justice initiatives.

He has a degree in journalism with a concentration in business administration from Baylor University and attended post-graduate studies in management communications at the University of Southern California.