Betsy Zorio
Vice President, U.S. Programs
Betsy Zorio is Vice President of U.S. Programs at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. In that capacity, she leads the agency's efforts to ensure all children in rural America have a healthy, strong foundation to thrive as learners and in life. This includes providing early childhood education, school-age math and literacy programs, and initiatives fighting child hunger in more than 300 communities across 14 states, as well as supporting community-led efforts to ensure kindergarten readiness and grade-level proficiency. Betsy also leads the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s emergency response, recovery and resiliency programs in the U.S., including an ongoing response to the crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border. Altogether, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ reached nearly one million children in the U.S. in 2021.
Betsy has been with 91¶ÌÊÓƵ since 2006. In 2014, she helped launch the agency's political advocacy arm, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Action Network (SCAN) and served in varying roles including chief of staff, acting president and corporate secretary until 2021. In 2020, she became executive sponsor of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council.
Prior to joining 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Betsy worked for more than five years at Special Olympics and a year at Best Buddies. She is a native of the Washington, D.C. area and holds a Bachelor's degree in government and politics from George Mason University, where she managed the school’s Best Buddies chapter for three years.