Sekhar Paladugu

Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Sekhar Paladugu is a technology and systems leader working at the intersection of aging, caregiving, and public systems. At Next50, he develops and champions strategic initiatives and partnerships to improve economic security for older adults.

Previously, Sekhar was CEO of MyFriendBen, where he led the spinout and national scale-up of a Gates Foundation-backed technology nonprofit helping families access public benefits and tax credits. MyFriendBen’s software supported over 75,000 families in securing more than $50 million in assistance.

Sekhar’s background spans startups, nonprofits, and public-sector partnerships, with experience building and scaling organizations from founding through IPO and exit in the private sector.

Sekhar is an active volunteer with the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) and also serves on the board of Leverage, a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing policies in Colorado to make aging more affordable. His interest in aging and caregiving is shaped by personal experience, including with frontotemporal dementia in his family.

Sekhar lives in Denver with his husband, Jim Burgess, a Social Security disability attorney, and their two whippets, who run the household.