Lydia Bean graduated from Austin College with a degree in Spanish and music and earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology from Harvard University. She is a wife and mother of two.

Lydia is a published researcher in the social sciences. She founded and is President of Equipa, a consulting firm that advises non-profits and foundations on strategy, evaluation, and leadership development. She also founded Faith in Texas, a nonprofit organization that "brings people of different faiths together to work for change." Finally, she is a co-founder of Whistleblower Aid, a non-profit legal organization that "helps government employees report government lawbreaking without breaking the law."

Lydia previously ran for U.S. House of Representatives in Texas District 6 in 2021 but did not win.