Betsy Glick is the owner/principal of First Story Communications, an independent media relations and production consulting firm.

 

For more than 16 years, Ms. Glick was the entertainment liaison for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where she coordinated more than a thousand projects ranging from feature films and television dramas to documentaries, streaming series, books and educational seminars.

 

Prior to joining the FBI, she served numerous executive roles in the nonprofit public relations sector. As communications director for the National World War II Memorial, Ms. Glick was responsible for the fundraising campaign publicity. Her tenure there culminated with the dedication ceremony in 2004, attracting more than 315,000 attendees and more than 750 news organizations to Washington, D.C.  The monument’s primary spokeswoman, Glick placed or appeared in hundreds of news stories across the country featuring former Senator Bob Dole and spokesman Tom Hanks. Her efforts were critical to the award-winning campaign reaching its $140 million fundraising goal more than three years ahead of schedule.

 

Previously, Glick was VP Marketing/Communications at Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America/Drug-Free Kids Campaign, a national organization representing 5,000 members.  At CADCA, she developed and enhanced the organization’s brand and image among partners such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. She oversaw all publications, advertising, collateral materials and the Web site. Additionally, she helped local anti-drug coalitions develop media relations programs while garnering national media attention on varied and controversial topics in outlets such as USA Today, CNN and Fox News.  Her aggressive marketing campaign increased online subscribers from 2,000 to 10,000 and increased annual meeting attendance by 50 percent.

 

Before joining CADCA, Ms. Glick was managing director at the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education.   There, she helped establish the organization and developed its national communications program.  Elements of the multi-faceted public education campaign include a national TV, radio and print advertising campaign that received an ADDY award; a high school educational video/text book regarding risks and financial responsibility that won seven national awards; award-winning Internet and Intranet Web sites; an adult education module; a seminar for journalists in coordination with the National Press Club, and a well-funded company partnership program. 

 

Her first assignment upon relocating to Washington, DC was as Associate Director for Public Affairs at the National Association of Life Underwriters, where she spearheaded a national grassroots media advocacy campaign on the health care debate. In addition to training local volunteers in public relations practices, she developed, implemented and publicized consumer opinion poll date that garnered record media coverage, organized radio tours and satellite media tours, and arranged for a local member to appear on Tom Brokaw’s nationally televised Town Hall Meeting with Hillary Clinton.

 

Her earliest experience includes work in public affairs at the American Automobile Association.  Prior to that, she was an advertising copywriter developing ads and collateral materials on various subjects.

 

Glick graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, carrying major course work at Wharton and Annenberg, while interning as a production assistant at KYW television in Philadelphia.

 

Ms. Glick is the recipient of the 2019 International Top Women in Communications Award and the 2020 Joseph Wharton Award.

 

She currently serves on the Board of The Cartwheel Initiative, a team of professional artists who believe in the power of art to heal and empower children who have experienced trauma and help them find their creative voice, enabling them to use art to build bridges within their communities and across ethnic and social divisions.  In years prior, she served on the United Jewish Appeal Young Leadership Division, coordinated volunteers for their Super Sunday campaign, and was a Board member for the Ben Gurion Society.

 

Betsy is also an accomplished artist. Her custom pet portraits have been featured at the Barrel Oak Winery and the Super Pet Expo.

 

In her spare time, she uses her personal and social media to inspire compassion and celebrate pets.