Ginger Zielinskie to step down as Benefits Data Trust’s President & CEO

Philadelphia, April 10, 2019– After leading Benefits Data Trust (BDT) for more than 13 years, Ginger Zielinskie has decided to step down as President & CEO once her successor is in place.

“It has been an honor for me to lead BDT,” said Zielinskie. “I am proud of everything BDT has accomplished, from helping hundreds of thousands of people feed their families, afford housing, and access healthcare, to successfully demonstrating how technology can and should be used to better support families on a path to economic mobility and improved health. And I am thankful for the BDT team, board, partners, and funders – together we have generated meaningful change for families and the systems that serve them. I am confident that BDT will continue to flourish under new leadership.”

Having joined BDT shortly after its inception in 2005, Zielinskie helped grow the organization from 10 employees to more than 170 today. Under her leadership, BDT partnered with top academics to conduct rigorous research to assess the impact of benefits on health and the impact of BDT’s outreach on benefit participation. Zielinskie has built BDT into a national leader that has submitted over 800,000 benefit applications, securing more than $7 billion in benefits and services through innovative use of technology, data, policy change, and partnerships.

“The Board cannot thank Ginger enough for the passion, enthusiasm, and leadership she has given to BDT over the past 13 years. She will be greatly missed by staff and partners alike,” said Warren Kantor, BDT founder and board chair. “We are excited for the next chapter as we continue in our mission to help people live healthier, more independent lives by creating smarter ways to access essential benefits and services.”

BDT has retained the search firm NPAG to conduct a national search for its next CEO. Zielinskie will remain in her current role until her successor is on board.

About Benefits Data Trust

Benefits Data Trust (BDT) is a national nonprofit that helps people live healthier, more independent lives by creating smarter ways to access essential benefits and services. Each year, BDT helps tens of thousands of people receive critical supports using data, technology, targeted outreach, and policy change. Since inception in 2005, BDT has submitted over 800,000 applications – more than any other single entity in the country – securing over $7 billion in benefits and services. BDT employs more than 170 people and provides enrollment assistance to individuals in six states, and policy assistance to states nationwide. For more information, visit bdtrust.org.