Debby Bielak

Debby Bielak is a partner in Bridgespan's San Francisco office, where she focuses on the inter-related areas of advocacy and influence, economic opportunity and mobility, and place-based change. Since joining Bridgespan in 2008, she has led several significant advisory and knowledge-generation projects focused on shifting power, advancing equity, and breaking cycles of intergenerational poverty. Her clients have included institutional foundations, community foundations, high-net-worth individuals, funding collaboratives, intermediary organizations, and advocacy organizations.

Debby has co-authored publications including, “Race and Place-based Philanthropy: Learnings from Funders Focused on Equitable Impact,” “‘Billion Dollar Bets to Create Economic Opportunity for Every American,” which has been cited in The Atlantic, Forbes, and Stanford Social Innovation Review, and “The Power and Promise of Feminist Movements.”  

Prior to joining Bridgespan, Debby was an engagement manager and social sector fellow at McKinsey & Company, a high school mathematics teacher, an econometrics researcher, and a grassroots activist. Debby earned her BS from Haverford College with honors and her MBA from the Wharton School.