Erik Adrian Hooks (born 1967) is an American public safety official who is currently serving as the deputy administrator of the

Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...

. He previously served as secretary of the

North Carolina Department of Public Safety The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) is an umbrella agency that carries out many of the state's Law enforcement agency, law enforcement, emergency response and homeland security functions. The department was created in 1977 as th ...

from January 2017 to August 2021.

Early life and education

Hooks is a native of

Spring Lake, North Carolina Spring Lake is a town in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 census recorded the population at 11,964 people, with an estimated population in 2019 of 12,005. History The current name of the town first appeared around 1 ...

. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government and a Master of Liberal Arts from

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

Career

Hooks joined the

in 1989, serving as a special agent with the department until 1999. He later served as assistant special agent in charge of the Special Investigations Division and assistant director. In January 2017, he was appointed to serve as secretary of the department by Governor

Roy Cooper Roy Asberry Cooper III ( ; born June 13, 1957) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 75th List of governors of North Carolina, governor of North Carolina from 2017 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), De ...

. He served until retiring in July 2021.

Nomination to FEMA

On July 27, 2021, Hooks was nominated by President

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

to be the deputy administrator of FEMA. Hearings were held on Hooks' nomination by the Senate's Homeland Security Committee on November 18, 2021. On December 1, 2021, the committee favorably reported his nomination to the entire Senate floor. Hooks was officially confirmed by the whole Senate via voice vote on December 7, 2021.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hooks, Erik 1967 births Living people African-American state cabinet secretaries Biden administration personnel Federal Emergency Management Agency officials North Carolina State University alumni People from Fayetteville, North Carolina People from Spring Lake, North Carolina State cabinet secretaries of North Carolina