Bio

Diana Lind is a writer and urban policy specialist. Her most recent book is Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing (Bold Type Books, 2020).

Diana joined the Penn Institute for Urban Research in September 2022 as the organization’s Communications & Publications Director.

In 2008, Diana moved to Philadelphia to become the editor in chief of Next City, a leading urbanist website and nonprofit, and soon also became the organization’s executive director. She served as a founding adviser to the New Cities Foundation and received a fellowship from the Van Alen Institute. Through these experiences, she became known nationally as an expert on cities.

A graduate of Cornell University (B.A., English) and Columbia University (M.F.A. in Creative Writing), Diana has held positions at Architectural Record magazine, Rizzoli International Publications, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. She serves on the boards of Next City and The Philadelphia Citizen, and independently consults for companies and organizations, such as Yum! Brands, AARP, Harsco and more. She is also the author of Brooklyn Modern: Architecture, Interiors & Design (Rizzoli, 2008). 

Diana has contributed op-eds and articles to many publications including, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Globe & Mail, The Hill, and others. She has written extensively for Architectural Record, Next City, and The Philadelphia Citizen. Diana is a frequent public speaker, and has given keynotes or participated in panels at more than 100 events, including major conventions like the World Urban Forum and Smart City Expo. She has received honors such as the TED City 2.0 prize, the ACLU Stand Up for Freedom award, and a funded residency at Blue Mountain Center.

Born and raised in Manhattan, she currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and their children.