Lawson R. Bader is president and CEO of DonorsTrust, a public charity protecting the intent of donors who seek to enhance civil society without increasing the size and scope of government. DonorsTrust accountholders have recommended over $2.5 billion to nonprofits in academia, the arts, civics, medical and scientific research, religion, and education, with a special emphasis on public policy groups advancing free enterprise, limited government and personal responsibility. He is the former president of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and senior vice president of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Lawson began his career as special assistant at the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, as legislative analyst with Pierson, Semmes & Finley, and government relations manager at SRI International. A former weekly columnist with Human Events, and former member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, he holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wheaton College (IL) and The Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, and is the current Chairman of the State Policy Network. He also serves on the governing boards of Reason Foundation, Our America, Free Society Coalition, and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. He is a member of the governance committee of the Human Rights Foundation, the national advisory board of the Atlas Network, and the National Leadership Council of Stand Together’s “Be The People” campaign. 

In 2024 he was awarded the State Policy Network’s Thomas A. Roe Award—honoring those whose achievements have greatly advanced free-market philosophy and policy solutions.