Bridget Bearden is Research and Development Strategist at Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). In addition to managing the research team, Bridget's contributions at EBRI include retiree behavioral research and analysis on ESG investing among public retirement plan participants. Prior to joining EBRI, Bridget conducted research and created thought leadership for institutional investors including Edelman Financial Engines, Ceres, Defined Contribution Institutional Investors Association (DCIIA), and Strategic Insight (now ISS Market Intelligence). She received her Ph.D. in Public Policy from University of Massachusetts Boston, with a dissertation on sustainable investing in private workplace retirement plans. She was a David Nyhan fellow of the UMass Sustainable Solutions Lab and is a current member Women in Pensions Network. She holds a BA in Political Science, an MBA in Finance, and an MS in Public Policy. She holds the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential from SASB and is also pursuing the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation.