Gary D. Bass

Gary D. Bass is executive director of the Bauman Foundation and affiliated professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy where he teaches about social change and advocacy.  Through the Bauman Foundation, he plays a leadership role in philanthropic circles on promoting a fair and accurate census, redistricting reforms, and other civic engagement issues, particularly those related to economic inequality and promoting government accountability.

Dr. Bass founded and for 28 years, until mid-2011, directed OMB Watch, a national research and advocacy organization. He has received various awards for his leadership in the nonprofit sector, has written numerous publications, serves on several nonprofit boards and is a member of the Administrative Conference of the United States and a fellow with the National Academy of Public Administration.

Dr. Bass is known for his role in helping then-Senators Barack Obama and Tom Coburn write and get enacted a law mandating federal spending transparency; he also built a website required by the law that ultimately became USAspending.gov.  He is also known for leading various initiatives to protect the advocacy voice of nonprofit organizations, stop balanced budget constitutional amendments, oppose rolling back health, safety and environmental regulations, and create opportunities to protect and advance the public’s right to know.

Dr. Bass received his doctorate from the University of Michigan.