Mission: To inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.


Vision: To motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action based on effective and compassionate leadership.


Core Values
Volunteerism - Volunteerism is the heart and soul of our organization. We appreciate the myriad contributions of our volunteers, and recognize the power of thank you and of giving back. We seek to promote and encourage service among our stakeholders. We recognize and value the positive accomplishments that volunteers can achieve by working together. We believe that volunteers are positively impacted by our programs as much as the youth and communities we serve.


Integrity – Integrity forms the foundation of our organization. We demand the highest level of ethics. We grow our organization based on interactions that promote mutual trust and respect with our stakeholders and partners. We strive to ensure the highest level of organizational effectiveness by continually reviewing our programs and processes to improve quality and efficiency.


Excellence – We strive to continually raise our programs and business to new levels of excellence. We encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in business, education, and social responsibility. We develop creative solutions to address challenges and to utilize opportunities. We believe that leadership skills can and should be continually improved and refined.


Diversity – We value and embrace diversity. We seek out views that reflect all walks of life, and reflect those views in our programs. We are sensitive to the special needs and diverse backgrounds of individuals. We give all individuals an equal opportunity to be heard and to benefit from our programs.


Community Partnerships–We value community partnerships. We recognize the importance of working with community organizations to strengthen our supportive network. We value the input we receive from our community partners, and strive to work together cooperatively and constructively for the betterment of all.

The History Of HOBY

The Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) was founded by Hugh O'Brian in 1958. That year, Mr. O'Brian had the unique opportunity to spend nine inspirational days with the great humanitarian, Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his clinic in Africa. There, Dr. Schweitzer impressed upon him that "the most important thing in education is to teach young people to think for themselves." That thought became the cornerstone for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, which Mr. O'Brian founded two weeks after his return to Los Angeles.

Since then, HOBY has carried out its mission "to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores, and to encourage and prepare the next generation of civic and corporate leadership for America's future."

HOBY implements its purpose in three ways:

  • by providing interactive opportunities for critical thinking;
  • by promoting democracy and America's incentive system;
  • and by encouraging social responsibility among individuals and participating corporations.

    Generous gifts from our constituents, combined with the active support of more than 5,200 volunteers, provide the backbone of support necessary to deliver HOBY's programs. This is the base of support which will sustain the organization for many years to come. Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership is a 501(c)(3) organization.

    • About Hugh O’Brian

    Motion picture and television star Hugh O’Brian has mastered his craft across the entire spectrum of show business. But with all his success he has never lost sight of his civic and philanthropic responsibilities. O’Brian has chosen to use his popularity to motivate others for a worthy cause, and to reinvest his good fortune by working tirelessly to develop projects to benefit young people.

    O’Brian has appeared in hundreds of television shows and movies, but there is one role with which he is immediately identified: that of frontier lawman Wyatt Earp. O’Brian played the lead role in the "Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" on ABC television from 1955-61. Shortly after the series debuted in 1955 as the "first adult western," it became the top-rated show on television, and O’Brian became a much-discussed talent. During its seven-year run, "Wyatt Earp" always placed in the top 10 television shows in the nation.

    In 1972-73, O’Brian starred in the action series, "Search." He also starred on Broadway in "Destry Rides Again," "First Love," and in the Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls." O’Brian also played the starring role in the national company of "Cactus Flower" and appeared in "The Odd Couple," "The Tender Trap," "A Thousand Clowns," and "Plaza Suite." He has been a guest on numerous television and radio shows including the Today Show, the Larry King and Jim Bohanan Shows, Charlie Rose’s Nightwatch and The Pat Sajak Show. Other credits include "The Shootist," "Killer Force," "Game of Death," "Twins," and numerous appearances on "Fantasy Island," "Love Boat," the T.V. series "Paradise," "Gunsmoke II," "Murder, She Wrote," "L.A. Law," and a Kenny Rogers Gambler IV movie, "The Luck of the Draw: The Gambler Returns," and “Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone” – a made-for-TV feature movie.

    Today, Mr. O’Brian continues to concentrate on the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) organization and lives in a hilltop home overlooking Beverly Hills.

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