Aaron Hurst

Background

About Aaron Hurst

Aaron Hurst is a visionary social entrepreneur and CEO whose work advances social impact, purpose-driven leadership, and human connection. He has founded several influential organizations—including the Taproot Foundation, Imperative, and Board.Dev—each dedicated to building more connected, purposeful, and resilient communities. His latest venture, the United States Chamber of Connection, addresses the greatest challenge of the day - declining social connection and trust, uniting leaders and communities to strengthen civic engagement and relational bonds. In 2023, Aaron partnered with Alethea Hannemann to launch Board.Dev, a social venture improving nonprofit governance through technical expertise. They work with large companies to train and place tech executives on nonprofit boards, enhancing board effectiveness in today’s evolving landscape. Previously, Aaron co-founded Imperative, a venture-backed startup that introduced the first purpose profiling technology, helping hundreds of thousands of Fortune 100 employees engage with their purpose at work. In 2020, he relaunched Imperative as an enterprise peer coaching platform, acquired in 2024 by Chronus, a leader in ERG and mentoring platforms. In 2001, Aaron founded the Taproot Foundation, which catalyzed the $15 billion pro bono service market in the U.S. and set the standard for corporate social responsibility worldwide, building cross-sector partnerships that support social innovation and strengthen communities. Aaron’s best-selling 2014 book, The Purpose Economy, foresaw the rise of purpose as a core economic driver. In collaboration with NYU, he introduced the first measure of employee fulfillment, shaping national and global conversations about purpose in the workplace and higher education. A recognized thought leader, Aaron has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. He frequently keynotes on purpose-driven leadership and social innovation. A fellow of Ashoka, Draper Richards Kaplan, and the Manhattan Institute, he is also the author of Fast Company’s ‘Purposeful CEO’ series. A third-generation University of Michigan graduate and recipient of its Humanitarian Award, Aaron lives in Seattle with his wife, Kara, Amazon’s head of sustainability and co-author of their children’s book, Mommy and Daddy Do It Pro Bono.