William A. Galston is a Senior Fellow in the Brookings Institution's Governance Studies Program. Prior to January 2006 he was Saul Stern Professor at the School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, director of the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, and founding director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

From 1993 until 1995 he served as Deputy Assistant to President Clinton for Domestic Policy. His other political activities include service as issues director for Walter Mondale's presidential campaign (1982-1984), as a senior advisor to Albert Gore, Jr.'s run for the Democratic presidential nomination (1988) and again as a senior advisor to Gore's presidential campaign (1999-2000).

Galston is the author of eight books and more than 100 articles in the fields of political theory, public policy, and American politics. His most recent books are Liberal Pluralism (Cambridge, 2002), The Practice of Liberal Pluralism (Cambridge, 2004), and Public Matters (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005).