Betsy Thurston

Betsy Thurston is the vice president for strategic development at the Council on Competitiveness. The Council is a membership driven organization that recruits and engages America’s most influential and innovative leaders to directly impact and influence the future competitiveness of the United States. Thurston is responsible for building and executing sustainable institutional growth through membership and development. She has served in this position since 2004.

Prior to joining the Council, Thurston was a marketing consultant with AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust. Thurston’s experience also includes serving as senior officer for private sector relations and marketing at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland. In this position, she developed and implemented international fund-raising strategies targeting corporations which resulted in the development of strategic alliances. Thurston started her career with the American Red Cross, where she served from 1986-1997.

Thurston holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland.