Kristen Ward, MPH

Vice President, Programs & Knowledge

Kristen applies her expertise in health and strategic impact to lead Mindful Philanthropy’s strategy, program identification and review, and knowledge management, building on her work as a Social Impact Fellow for the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. Kristen joined CHIP in 2018 as a dynamic public health professional with experience in corporate philanthropic strategy development, program management, research, and evaluation. Kristen led the development of CHIP’s guidance, Health in Mind: A Philanthropic Guide for Mental Health and Addiction and subsequent guidance on these issues in response to COVID-19.

Kristen earned her BA in Politics and African Studies from Princeton University and Master of Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to pursuing her MPH, Kristen developed a passion for high impact social investment through her work developing health and environment related corporate social responsibility strategies and programs in Africa. Through a variety of roles in international development, Kristen developed a strong background in health and environmental issues including behavioral and mental health, health systems strengthening, water and sanitation, and women’s empowerment. In her career, Kristen strives to apply evidence based approaches to solve wicked problems at the intersection of health and economic development.