Sophie Kainen

Sophie Kainen is a principal in Bridgespan’s New York office. Since joining the firm in 2022, she has advised nonprofit and philanthropic leaders on growth strategy, philanthropic investment strategy, and initiative design.

Sophie’s work spans health equity, gender equity, and global development, with particular expertise in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. She has partnered with organizations across the United States and sub-Saharan Africa to develop ambitious growth strategies and strengthen their capacity to scale impact. Sophie has also worked closely with major philanthropic collaboratives, including The Audacious Project, to identify and support high-impact opportunities for social change.

Sophie brings experience across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Prior to joining Bridgespan, Sophie served as an advisor in the office of Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, where she supported the state’s operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in her career, she spent more than five years at Bain & Company and held roles at Upstream USA and One Acre Fund in Kenya.

A native New Yorker, Sophie holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA, magna cum laude, in international development studies and economics from Brown University.