Brett Mandel is the Executive Director of Philadelphia Forward, a non-profit citizen's organization dedicated to building a constituency for change to promote positive policies for Philadelphia.  Previously, he served as Director, Financial and Policy Analysis, in the City of Philadelphia Office of the Controller where he directed the efforts of the Financial and Policy Analysis Unit and oversaw consideration of a wide variety of issue areas relating to municipal governance, budgetary policy, and municipal government operations.  Prior to joining the Controller's Office, Brett was an Associate with the Pennsylvania Economy League and Assistant to the Policy Director of the Philadelphia Independent Charter Commission.  Brett received his B.A. from Hamilton College and his M.G.A. from the Fels Center of Government of the University of Pennsylvania.

Brett's latest book, Is This Heaven?  The Magic of the Field of Dreams, (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2002) tells how the former Dyersville, Iowa movie site has become a pop-culture mecca and secular holy site.  Brett is the primary co-author of the book, Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction (Saint Joseph's University Press, 1999), a vision of Philadelphia's likely future without change and a comprehensive plan designed to make Philadelphia a preferred place to live, work, and visit.  The book received the National Association of Local Government Auditors Special Project Award for 1999.  Brett is also author of the book, Minor Players, Major Dreams, (University of Nebraska Press, 1997) written from his perspective as an author, signed to a minor league baseball player’s contract to tell the inside story of minor league life.