Bridget Durkan Laird

Bridget has been with WINGS since 1998 working alongside WINGS’ spirited founder, Ginny Deerin. Through the years, Bridget has helped to develop all aspects of the organization, from program/curriculum development to spearheading grant and research applications to growth strategies, replication, and scaling. During this time, she and the founder were leading the charge in bringing social and emotional skill development to kids in elementary schools and working toward efforts to bring SEL to the forefront of education today. Bridget took over as CEO in January 2011. Since her tenure, WINGS expanded to Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, and Columbia, SC – increasing the number of kids served by more than 300%. Most recently, Bridget developed a nationwide partnership with the global leader in standards-based digital learning content for K-12 classrooms worldwide, Discovery Education. This new initiative – Soar with Wings – reaches thousands of students across America.

Bridget is a member of the 2015 Liberty Fellowship class and a Leap of Reason Ambassador. She also serves as a member of the Turning Leaf Project’s Board of Directors, PURE Theater, and is Board Chair of The Altruity Foundation. Bridget has an undergraduate degree in Parks and Recreation from North Carolina State University – where she was a 4-year starter and Captain for NC State’s Women’s Soccer Team – and a master’s degree in Education, with a concentration in School-age Development from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN.