Betsy Burton-Strunk is a dynamic and purpose-driven executive with over 36 years of proven leadership in revenue development, operational management, and cross-functional team building within the higher education, financial services, and nonprofit sectors. Renowned for her ability to inspire teams, develop sustainable revenue strategies, and align business goals with mission-centric initiatives, Betsy has consistently delivered transformational outcomes throughout her career.

Currently serving as the Vice President of Development at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), Betsy has led one of the most significant revenue growth periods in the organization’s history—scaling annual income from $23 million to $91 million. Under her leadership, the development team doubled in size, key performance metrics such as donor retention and engagement soared, and integrated CRM systems including Salesforce, GiveSmart, HubSpot, and Wealth Engine streamlined fundraising operations. Her strategic vision enabled TMCF to not only increase philanthropic investments but also enhance partner experiences and operational efficiency.

Betsy’s influence extends across a portfolio of Fortune 500 partnerships, where she has brokered multi-million-dollar collaborations to drive diversity, inclusion, and student success. Notable achievements include securing $13M from Visa to support first-year students through internships and scholarships; stewarding a $9M investment from Enterprise Mobility for scholarship programs; facilitating an $8.5M commitment from the Deloitte Foundation to increase diversity in accountancy; and growing Adobe’s annual investment by 33% to support emerging technology initiatives. She also played a key role in launching two new student-focused professional development programs: DevCon and the Workforce Development Summit.

Before joining TMCF, Betsy served in executive sales roles at BankMobile, Higher One, and Sallie Mae, where she managed multi-regional sales teams, led change management during acquisitions and regulatory transformations, and consistently surpassed growth targets. At BankMobile, she increased sales by 250% during a period of market uncertainty, maintaining a 96% client retention rate. During her tenure at Sallie Mae, she built and led the Business Office Solutions division, redesigned compensation structures, and implemented advanced reporting systems to track performance and client ROI. Her strategic insight and leadership helped reposition the company’s sales philosophy and align it with institutional priorities.

Betsy’s top CliftonStrengths—Positivity, Woo, Communication, Includer, and Developer—reflect her natural ability to foster trust, connect authentically, and bring out the best in those around her. A persuasive communicator and an advocate for inclusive leadership, she frequently presents on cross-generational engagement and values-based relationship building.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Betsy is personally committed to education, equity, and access. She actively serves on the board of a scholarship organization and channels her energy into causes that empower underrepresented students. Her personal motto, “People want to work with those they believe they can trust,” encapsulates the integrity and authenticity that guide her approach to leadership.

In her personal life, Betsy enjoys working out, reading, and traveling—pursuits that fuel her drive for lifelong learning and personal growth.

Betsy Burton-Strunk is actively seeking new opportunities to serve on advisory boards and governance committees where she can apply her deep expertise in fundraising, operations, and strategic partnerships to support transformative missions and drive long-term impact.

Character: Betsy Burton-Strunk leads with integrity, authenticity, and a deep commitment to trust-building in all professional relationships.

Knowledge: With over 36 years of experience, she brings deep expertise in revenue development, operations, and financial services across higher education and nonprofit sectors.

Strategic: Betsy is a forward-thinking leader who aligns organizational vision with actionable strategies that drive multi-million-dollar growth and long-term impact.

Communication: A natural communicator and public speaker, she excels at fostering engagement across stakeholders through compelling storytelling and cross-generational connection.