Betsy Hackman - Office Manager
Office Manager
bhackman@glaciersymphonychorale.org
Betsy Hackman became part of the symphony staff in October 2006. She grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and holds a B.A. degree in English Literature from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. After graduating she pursued a career in environmental education, earned a Masters degree in Elementary/Science Education from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire, and for 10 years worked in science museums, nature centers and college field campuses as an environmental educator. She got married, moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in October 1999 and found she had to reinvent herself out west. Environmental education jobs were scarce and mostly volunteer positions so she turned to another area of interest, the arts. She started her own jewelry design business, Creative Journey Jewelry, and it was very well received, but Betsy found it to be too isolating as a full-time career. Betsy and her husband moved again in July 2004 to Kalispell, Montana and again Betsy underwent a transformation. She served as a teaching assistant at Woodland Montessori School, and as a training supervisor at Borders Books. These positions served as stepping stones as she learned how to navigate the valley job market.
Betsy brings diverse skills to the Glacier Symphony and Chorale. She grew up attending Philadelphia Orchestra concerts with her family, so she learned to appreciate classical music at a young age. She lived next door and worked for a couple that created a juried art show that had over 250 artisans, and this exposed her to many different forms of artistic expression. This led her to become a successful artist in her own right as a jewelry designer. She also joined a prominent Gilbert and Sullivan society called Savoy that was founded in 1901 in Philadelphia. She sang in their chorus for two years, performing for audiences at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and Longwood Gardens in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. It is easy to see why she has become a valued asset to the Glacier Symphony and Chorale.
Betsy lives in Kalispell with her husband Tom, and her two German Short-Haired Pointers (otherwise known as her spotted children) Del and Hannah.
