Bridgett Wagner, one of the conservative movement’s best-known and well-connected leaders, is the Executive Director of the Edwin J. Feulner Institute at The Heritage Foundation.

In her current role, Wagner spearheads strategic enterprise-wide priorities while also advising and consulting with fellow leaders in the private and public sectors.

She previously served as Heritage’s Vice President for Policy Promotion where she led outreach and leadership development teams, built coalitions, educated allies, and helped to grow the network of conservative think tanks and issue-based organizations in the U.S. and around the world.  

In her career at Heritage, Wagner has directed coalition relations, development, and business relations departments; and she served as Director of Events for the think tank’s 25th anniversary “Leadership for America” campaign. 

Wagner’s work growing and strengthening the conservative movement, and her success at building diverse coalitions around key policy initiatives, were recognized internally with Heritage’s President’s Award.

The State Policy Network presented her with its Roe Award for achievements that advanced the free market philosophy, and the National Taxpayer Union presented her with its Happy Warrior for Taxpayer Freedom Award.

Outside Heritage, Wagner serves as a trustee at the University of Dallas and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. She is a director of the State Policy Network, The Fund for American Studies, the Foundation for Government Accountability, the State Financial Officers Foundation, and the Steamboat Institute. She is a member of the advisory boards of Talent Market, the Antigua Forum, and the National Civic Arts Society. She serves on the Selection Committee of the Clare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM of the Henry Luce Foundation. She is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society and the Philadelphia Society.

Wagner, originally from Richardson, Texas, holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Dallas. She and her husband, Steve, live in Washington, D.C.