Ginger Zielinskie, CEO of Benefits Data Trust, to step down

After 13 years of helming Benefits Data Trust, Ginger Zielinskie announced April 5 that she will be stepping down as CEO of the organization.

“We have literally helped hundreds of thousands of people better feed their families, afford housing, and access healthcare. We have demonstrated across the country how data and technology can and should be used to better support families on a path to economic mobility and better health,” Zielinskie said Friday in the email announcing the decision to the company’s stakeholders.

“We have stretched across sectors to define and leverage the true return generated when people are better able to meet their most basic needs.”

Inside BDT. (Courtesy photo)

BDT, which employs 174 people and has been headquartered in Philadelphia since 2005. operates scalable, data-driven initiatives in multiple states to connect low-income individuals to critical benefit programs, and the news of Zielinskie’s departure comes amid the rollout of a pilot program in collaboration with United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey and Campaign for Working Families which enables those seeking tax preparation help in Philadelphia to take a short, user-friendly survey to see if they qualify for food assistance and other benefits. BDT is also replicating this pilot in Colorado with Next 50 Initiative and The Colorado Health Federation to help with food assistance.

“I love this organization, what it stands for, what we have accomplished together, and what is still to come,” Zielinskie said.

The organization is conducting a national search, and Zielinskie has said she will stay on for six months or  more, until her successor is selected. “I will take a little time off to recharge and rebalance before exploring what comes next,” she added.