Preeta Nayak

Preeta Nayak is Head of The Bridgespan Group’s Institute and External Engagement team where she leads the firm’s research and thought leadership initiatives. She joined the MidPen Board in 2026. While at Bridgespan, she has developed the firm’s program to provide consulting and capacity-building to nonprofit executive teams, Leading for Impact®, and launched the Leadership Accelerator, the firm’s series of online and team-based programs.  Her advisory work has included support for a variety of nonprofit clients on questions of strategic planning and organization design. She is also co-author of the book, Nonprofit Leadership Development: What’s Your “Plan A” for Growing Future Leaders?, and co-author of recent articles: “Learning from Nonprofits and NGOs That Have Put Large, Flexible Grants to Work“, “Five Ways that Nonprofits Can Make Decision Making More Inclusive—and More Effective,”and, “What Are Intended Impact and Theory of Change and How Can Nonprofits Use Them?”.

Prior to joining Bridgespan, Preeta was a classroom teacher and nonprofit manager. She has a B.A. in political science from Yale University, an M.A. in education from Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.