Sheryl Sandberg chooses a 25-year-old to head her nonprofit organization.

Leadership Changes at Lean In: New CEO Hired as Staff Depart

Sheryl Sandberg has swiftly appointed a recent graduate as the new CEO of the feminist nonprofit Lean In, while a long-time employee is set to retire, according to reports.

Bridget Griswold, a former product manager at Meta, has been promoted from her role as AI and product director to CEO within just weeks. Notably, she lacks prior experience in nonprofit leadership, as highlighted by the Wall Street Journal.

Sandberg shared news of this unexpected shift in a LinkedIn post, where she posed with Griswold and noted that the newcomer had only joined the organization two months prior to her promotion. Sandberg emphasized that Griswold’s expertise in artificial intelligence would be pivotal in empowering women to advance their careers.

“Bridget is the right leader with the right skills to make that happen,” Sandberg stated in an announcement on Lean In’s LinkedIn page.

However, reactions within Lean In have been mixed, with more than a dozen employees—approximately a quarter of the staff—leaving the organization recently due to layoffs and resignations. Insiders have suggested that Griswold’s quick rise and her lack of nonprofit experience might have contributed to these departures.

In the past year, two of the highest-paid executives from the nonprofit—earning over $290,000 each—have also left their positions. This has been reported based on LinkedIn profiles and tax records reviewed by the Journal.

After departing from Meta, Sandberg took a more active role at Lean In and reportedly grew concerned that the organization was losing its direction, despite its expanding global impact.

Looking at the changing cultural landscape, some billionaires are pushing for a more defined approach as societal views shift back toward traditional gender roles.

Lean In has reached out for comments from both Sandberg and Griswold.

In appointing Griswold, Sandberg seems to be banking on her ability to inject a Silicon Valley mindset into an organization traditionally associated with corporate feminist initiatives.

Griswold, a recent Brown University graduate, joined Meta where she garnered experience in consumer technology and artificial intelligence. During her time as Director of AI and Products at Lean In, she focused on advancing digital tools and adopting new technologies, leading to her rapid promotion.

The organization is also shifting gears to counter the rising popularity of the “tradwife” movement—a viral trend that romanticizes the traditional role of a housewife. Sandberg has expressed concerns regarding this trend, which she believes repackages old ideas that might pressure women to give up their careers.

In a series of recent LinkedIn posts, she cautioned that the movement could return women to outdated gender expectations while also highlighting data indicating that young men are increasingly favoring traditional views on marriage.