As ConnectMyVariant continues to grow, our financial needs are evolving. New board member/treasurer Betty Johnson is instrumental in navigating these changes.
With over twenty years of financial management experience in the Georgia state government, Betty has worked in sectors from human services to transportation. As an auditor with the Georgia Department of Education, she reconciled a multimillion-dollar grant. She also gained experience working in the Fulton County Health Department in Atlanta.
“When it comes to finances, I am a person who believes that whatever you’re given, you’re supposed to be a good steward of those funds,” Betty said. “I'm always looking at a way that we can use those funds judiciously, and use them to maximize our reach and also to be able to stay within budget.”
As treasurer, Betty is reviewing ConnectMyVariant’s past spending and adjusting our financial strategy to align with our changing needs. The budget she develops will help us operate sustainably as we are small while looking forward at strategies for future growth. She wants to see ConnectMyVariant eventually grow into an international organization.
Betty was drawn to ConnectMyVariant because of its mission.
“I do have family members who have passed away from cancer, and I also have family members that are cancer survivors,” she said. “When I saw the mission, which is to help in hereditary diseases, that really piqued my interest, and I wanted to be a part of something like that.”
Betty has a long history of applying her expertise to volunteer work.
“Prior to COVID, I volunteered at a local Ronald McDonald House Charity for 22 years,” she said. “Currently, I volunteer with a local nonprofit that provides back-to-school supplies for at-risk youth.”
Her experience in the nonprofit sector has given her an understanding of the teamwork and flexibility needed to make a nonprofit run smoothly.
“Nonprofit employees often wear many hats,” she said. As a finance manager for a shelter serving homeless families in Atlanta, she took on additional responsibilities as needed, including in human resources and IT.
Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Betty is all about family. She has four children, two grandchildren, and lots of nieces and nephews. She enjoys traveling with her family, especially to the beach.
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