Matthew S. Stanford, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Matthew S. Stanford, PhD, is Chief Executive Officer of the Hope and Healing Center & Institute (HHCI), where he is leading the effort to reimagine how mental health care is delivered and accessed. Since assuming leadership in 2015, he has transformed HHCI from a respected local nonprofit into a nationally recognized leader in developing innovative, community-based models of mental health care. Under his leadership, HHCI has expanded access to compassionate, evidence-based services while training more than 70,000 clergy, healthcare professionals, educators, caregivers, workplace leaders, and community members to recognize, respond to, and support those experiencing mental health challenges.
A neuroscientist by training and an innovator by nature, Dr. Stanford has spent more than three decades challenging conventional approaches to mental health care. Rather than accepting the limitations of traditional systems, he has dedicated his career to developing practical, scalable models of care that integrate clinical excellence, community partnerships, technology, and faith. His work is driven by a simple conviction: every person deserves timely, compassionate, and effective mental health care, regardless of financial resources or where they first seek help.
Under Dr. Stanford’s leadership, HHCI has pioneered programs that extend mental health care beyond the walls of traditional clinics. By equipping churches, healthcare systems, schools, workplaces, and community organizations to become active partners in mental health care, HHCI has helped create a continuum of support that identifies needs earlier, reduces barriers to care, and strengthens long-term recovery. This vision has positioned the organization at the forefront of a growing movement to make mental health care more accessible, collaborative, and community-centered.
Before joining HHCI, Dr. Stanford served as Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, where his research advanced the understanding of aggressive behavior and the relationship between faith and behavioral health. Today, he continues to serve as an adjunct faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine, UTHealth Houston, and Houston Methodist’s Institute for Academic Medicine, ensuring that HHCI’s work remains grounded in scientific evidence while addressing real-world community needs.
An internationally recognized authority on faith and mental health, Dr. Stanford is the author of five books, including Grace for the Afflicted and Madness and Grace, works that have helped churches, clinicians, and families better understand mental illness and recovery. His work has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and Christianity Today. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and remains committed to translating research into practical solutions that improve lives.
Known for pursuing ideas others consider impossible, Dr. Stanford believes innovation is most meaningful when it expands access to care for those who need it most. His vision is to reimagine mental health care by creating practical, evidence-based models that empower communities to become part of the solution, bringing hope, healing, and recovery within reach of every person and every family.
