Diane Bast

Diane Carol Bast is The Heartland Institute's executive editor and finance manager.

As executive editor, she is responsible for Heartland’s serial publications—Budget & Tax News, Environment & Climate News, Health Care News, FIRE Policy News, School Reform News, and the QPR membership newsletter. She also edits and oversees the production of all books, policy studies, newsletters, and other publications produced by Heartland. Bast has edited or written more than 150 studies and 20 books on state and local public policy.

Bast is also Heartland’s finance manager, overseeing the organization’s $7.2 million budget, managing its staff accountant, working with Heartland’s outside auditors, and helping to draft the organization’s annual budget. She also manages Heartland's compliance with reporting requirements of the federal and state governments.

She was named to the board of directors of the Advocates for Self Government in 2009.

Prior to joining The Heartland Institute in February 1987, Bast was coeditor of the bimonthly magazine Nomos. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in criminal justice and constitutional law from the University of Wisconsin.