Michaela Bakala

Michaela Bakala has extensive business and management experience. While she enjoys managing the family´s activities and selected assets, she takes personal pleasure in leading the family´s philanthropic activities, most notably as Chairwoman of the Board of the Bakala Foundation based in Prague. The causes dearest to her are those related to education, the development of democratic society, and women´s role in society. She now lives with her husband and four children in Berkeley, California, and is pursuing her Master´s in Counseling Psychology at the Wright Institute.

Using her degree in film and television, Michaela managed PR and communications for a major industrial company before becoming head of the press department of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Michaela subsequently founded her PR agency and beauty contest under the Czech Miss brand, which she ran and co-owned for ten years. Later, she participated in managing family investments in the USA, Switzerland, South Africa, the Czech Republic, and other countries around the world.

The Bakalas were involved in founding the Václav Havel Library in Prague. Michaela has been a member of its Board of Trustees for twelve years. Since June 2023, Michaela has been part of the Advisory Board. With the same commitment, Michaela supports the activities of the FW de Klerk Foundation in South Africa, where she also serves as a board member. Michaela is also a proud patron of the Top Czech Women project, recognizing distinguished women serving in public and private spheres.

Michaela has always had a very strong bond with the Aspen Institute, both in Prague and internationally. She and her husband Zdenek were involved in establishing Aspen Institute Central Europe, then called Aspen Institute Prague, in 2012.