Betsy Houde, MA

Executive Director

Betsy Houde joined The Youth Council in 1996, and brings 28 years of experience working with greater Nashua children, teens and families. She has been recognized locally and throughout New Hampshire for innovative programming and extensive collaboration developing numerous programs serving children, teens and families. Prior to joining The Youth Council, Betsy spent 13 years working with children and families in a residential care/placement prevention setting in a variety of direct care, counseling, and management capacities.

Over the last several years, Betsy has been recognized for her leadership and commitment to greater Nashua children and families through: a Commendation from NH Governor Jeanne Shaheen, a management award for program evaluation given by the NH Children's Trust Fund, and was named a 2002 Community Champion by WMUR-TV9 and Citizen's Bank. In 2002, Betsy was named one of 10 people across the country awarded a 3-year fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation entitled Developing Leadership in Reducing Substance Abuse. Further, in 2013, Betsy was named one of Greater Nashua's 25 Extraordinary Women by The Nashua Telegraph.

Since joining The Youth Council, Betsy has also become a tireless advocate at the State level serving in numerous leadership capacities to improve the quality of life for the people of New Hampshire -- as a founding board member of the Endowment for Health, an $85 million health care foundation; a member of the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment and its Executive Committee and Prevention Task Force; and as a board member of New Futures - a substance abuse "think tank" focused on underage drinking and access to treatment.

Nationally, Betsy participated in many exciting projects in the mid-90's such as the Child Welfare League of America's Family-Focused Working Group comprised of innovative leaders in family-centered care from around the country. In addition, Betsy presented at national conferences and published articles on family-centered out-of-home care. Betsy also worked closely with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's national Reclaiming Futures project designing standards of care for substance-involved youth in the juvenile justice system.

A New London, Connecticut native, Betsy received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Connecticut College in 1983 double majoring in Child Development and Sociology-Based Human Relations and a Master of Arts in Counseling with distinction from Rivier College in New Hampshire in 1990. In addition, Betsy is a 1999 graduate of Leadership Greater Nashua, a program that fosters leadership and high caliber professionalism organized by the Chamber of Commerce.

A Nashua resident, Betsy is serving as 2013-2014 president of the Rotary Club of Nashua West and spends her free time melting glass as Empty Nest Glassworks. Formerly known as Betsy Abrahams, Betsy changed her name to Houde after her 2012 marriage.