Betsy has been a Beatrix Potter Society member since 1984. 2012, she became the first overseas Trustee ever elected to The Beatrix Potter Society. She has spoken at several of the Society’s International Study Conferences and given illustrated talks to various groups in the United States, United Kingdom, Africa, and Australia. She has organized many Beatrix Potter Society conferences in North America at venues including the Cotsen Children's Library at Princeton University, Lillian Smith Library in Toronto, the Houghton Library at Harvard University, The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City, the Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Linda Lear Center at Connecticut College. Betsy lectured about Beatrix Potter on a transatlantic crossing of the Queen Mary 2. She was instrumental in establishing "Pottering About," The Beatrix Potter Society's e-news. She formed the North American Leadership Circle in 2012 for The Beatrix Potter Society for Members in the United States and Canada. She also served as website manager for The Beatrix Potter Society.
Betsy is a self-described Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiast. She is a member and a volunteer for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, based in Chicago. Betsy received the 2019 Conservancy Award at the FLWBC conference in Los Angeles. Betsy was a student at Yestermorrow in Waitsfield, Vermont, a building and design school. She designed two homes and learned to build them: one a vacation home in Vermont and one a primary residence in Connecticut. She has taught courses: "Introduction to Cape Cod Modernist Architecture" and "Charlie Zehnder and Frank Lloyd Wright: Two Architectural Genuises." Betsy works with Cape Cod Modern House Trust as a Tour coordinator. She loves sharing her passion for the Cape Cod Modern House Trust houses. Betsy serves on the Board of the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Having earned a BA (History) degree from Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, and a Master of Library Science degree from Saint John’s University in New York, Betsy is a retired library administrator and lives in Chatham, Massachusetts.
Betsy receives the distinguished volunteer award for her work on “Words, Wit, and Wisdom” from Dawn Walnut, WE CAN.
Betsy receives the Conservancy Award from the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy at a conference in Los Angeles.. Pictured here with Conservancy staff.
Betsy at Cape Rep on her walk on role in “Shakespeare in Love” Thanks for making me feel so welcome!