As a student at College Prep in the mid-1970s, Betsy was already carving her own path.  She had a passion for history—especially the Tudor period and Queen Elizabeth I.  A self-described “royal-phile,” Betsy placed studying abroad high on her “wish list” for college. When Plan A (two years at Smith, one year abroad, and then two years at UC Berkeley) proved unworkable, she pivoted to Plan B: after one year at Smith, she transferred to Cal, spent her junior year abroad studying and working in England, and returned to Cal to graduate with a history degree in four years.  This willingness to follow interest rather than a fixed map became a defining pattern in her life.

That year abroad turned out to be formative. Betsy studied in Kent and then worked at a London solicitor’s firm, an experience that clarified a lifelong interest. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was nine,” she says. But it wasn’t just law that drew her—it was international law, and more specifically, trade. She was fascinated not only by the intellectual demands of the field, but by its diplomatic stakes: “Countries that trade with each other are less likely to go to war.”

Still, her path to law wasn’t linear. After graduating from Berkeley, Betsy moved to New York to explore work in banking but found herself working in the world of gourmet food instead.  She then returned to the UK, working odd jobs in a dairy office and a cheese shop. “What was I thinking?” she laughs. “You just pick up and do these things. It’s great!” Eventually, she returned to the U.S. and enrolled at Boston University School of Law, where she also discovered the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She pursued a custom joint degree—a JD from BU and an MA from The Fletcher School in Law and Diplomacy—combining legal training with a global lens.

 

Armed with this dual degree, Betsy built a remarkable legal career. She made partner at Powell Goldstein in Washington, D.C., and later joined the Office of the United States Trade Representative. As Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Russia and Eurasia, she oversaw trade strategy and negotiations with countries including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the nations of the Caucasus.

 

In that role, Betsy represented the U.S. in high-level diplomatic forums and negotiations, balancing U.S. business interests with complex international relationships. Her ability to see multiple sides of an issue became one of her most powerful tools. “You have to be able to walk into a room, read it, and see what the other side wants,” she says. “Then you listen.” That emphasis on listening—on building common ground—was something she observed early on from a mentor who could “flip and argue the other side” in a debate. It’s a skill that served her well across borders and ideologies.

 

In February 2025, Betsy returned to College Prep as a speaker for Common Classroom, joining alumna Ali Underwood ’07—now Associate Director of College Counseling at Prep—for a conversation on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ali brought her background in Russian history and Soviet propaganda; Betsy brought her experience negotiating with Eastern European governments. Together, they helped students connect what they learn in class to the complexities of the modern world.

 

Betsy’s recent appointment to the Advisory Council has given her an even closer look at how the school has evolved since her time as a student. She’s especially impressed by the Constitutional Law course, which she says “really teaches students to think in a way that’s usually found first in law school.” She sees a familiar intellectual rigor—but also a notable cultural shift. “The students are smart and driven,” she says, “but they’re also willing to help each other. It’s not a zero-sum game.”

 

Looking back, Betsy wouldn’t change a thing. Each detour—whether practical, playful, or profound—shaped her sense of purpose and gave her tools to navigate complexity with clarity. Her story is a reminder to students and alumni alike: there is no singular definition of success, or path to that success. What matters is to follow your curiosity, make space for change, and find meaning in the journey itself.