Independent Women’s Forum is delighted to announce that Betsy Kallop — former banker, a member of the fabulous Firebreathers, and leader of the Palm Beach Chapter of Independent Women’s Network — is the latest entry in our popular series of Champion Women profiles.
Talking to Betsy Kallop, you meet a woman who is motivated to reclaim her country but also one who is a fount of funny stories and just plain fun. She’s mistress of the anecdote and not averse to a little lighthearted gossip. She’s had an amazing career — from reading Proust as a college student in Paris to working as a globe-trotting banker. She is also a wife and mother who found time in her busy schedule to serve for many years as a dedicated docent at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Betsy’s Firebreathers are a group of 20 women who are working to make the world a better place — and having a good time doing it. They were active in the campaign of a school board candidate who supported parents’ rights. Though their candidate lost, the Firebreathers and IWN’s Palm Beach Chapter are enthusiastic about the future.
The Firebreathers hadn’t realized how crucial school board races can be until recently since most of them are now grandmothers. “We’ve always voted in general elections of course, but getting involved at the grassroots of local elections has been fascinating. Parents and grandparents of children are the most involved voters. I don’t care if you’re Left or Right! When it comes to our children, everybody’s on board. Mask and vaccine mandates, lockdowns, politics, race, sexual preference, and gender identity issues have cluttered up our kids’ lives when all we want is A GOOD EDUCATION for our children. Our children are, above all, AMERICANS! Brown, black, white, male, female, LBGTQ or trans, they need to read, write, learn history, math and civics. We need educated, articulate leaders and we’re not going to have them if everyone is fighting over pronouns and bathrooms.”
We know you’ll love this woman who is dedicated to making a difference — and is having a heck of a good time doing it.
