Ethnic GEM: Betty Francisco

Title & Company:  CEO, Boston Impact Initiative & Co-Founder, Amplify Latinx

State: Boston, MA

Submitted by Leonard Webb

Originally from New York City, this Ethnic GEM was motivated to come to Boston to study law with the hope of becoming an immigration attorney. She ended up studying business law and 30 years later, Betty Francisco is still here, making a major impact on thousands of people in and around the Boston area.

Equipped with her JD and MBA from Northeastern University, and her BA in History from Bard College, Betty delved into corporate law where she has excelled. She began her legal career as a Senior Business Law Associate at Edwards Wildman (now Locke Lord) representing start-ups, corporations and investors in financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and general corporate matters.  Her career continued to blossom as the General Counsel at Compass Working Capital where she oversaw the organization’s legal affairs, compliance, and risk management. Before that, she served as EVP, General Counsel for Sports Club/LA and Reebok Sports Club/NY, a fitness brand acquired by Equinox Fitness in 2014. 

Betty Francisco is a seasoned business executive, board director, impact investor and community leader. She is known as a powerful convener and change-maker, unapologetic about creating visibility for Latinx and people of color. In 2022, the Boston Business Journal named Betty as one of the Power 50 – Movement Makers, and Boston Magazine named her as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Boston. She has 25 years of experience launching and growing startups; advising boards and executive teams on corporate governance, risk management and diversity, equity, and inclusion; and negotiating and advising companies on debt and equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.

Betty has taken her career full circle from law, to entrepreneurship and now investing, She is now the CEO of Boston Impact Initiative (BII), an impact investment fund that invests in entrepreneurs of color and trains diverse fund managers to help close the racial wealth divide in New England. She is also the co-founder of Amplify Latinx, a social venture with over 6000 members that is building Latinx economic and political power through Latino leadership representation and economic opportunity in Massachusetts. She also co-founded The Women’s Dinner Group with Anna Foster, to mirror the focus of the Boston Men’s Dinner Group, with a specific focus on empowering and connecting women of color through dynamic networking events.

When asked about who some of her mentors are, Betty without hesitation mentioned “my husband Paul Francisco has been a great mentor around DEI, the power of networks and champions” She continues “I view all my professional relationships as mutual mentorship opportunities where I am always learning from others.”

When not overseeing Boston Impact Initiative and Amplify Latinx, you can find Betty serving on several Boards of Directors, including The Boston Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Roxbury Community College. She is also a founding member of the Coalition for an Equitable Economy which is building an equitable small business ecosystem for entrepreneurs of color in Massachusetts.

Since arriving to Boston, Betty continues to excel and shine and has been recognized by countless organizations such as TAG Association Community Champion Award (2023); Amplify Latinx Legacy Award (2023); BBJ Movement Leaders (2022); YW Boston Academy of Women Achievers (2021); SCI Idealist Award (2021); uAspire First Ones Honoree (2020); Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Circle of Excellence Award (2020), Top Women of Law Award (2012) and In-House Leader in the Law (2010); the Hispanic National Bar Association Leadership Award (2019); GetKonnected GK100: Greater Boston’s Most Influential People of Color (2018); State Street Corporation’s Community Award (2017); and Women’s Bar Association’s Pioneering Women in the Law Award (2017). She has been featured in Boston Magazine, Boston Business Journal, Boston Globe and Hispanic Executive Magazine and now Ethnic Online!

During her down time Betty can be found enjoying painting (she went to Music and Art High School so it’s been her hobby when she can get the time), travel and cooking. Betty is fluent in Spanish and resides in Dorchester, MA with her husband Paul Francisco and their two daughters. You can learn more about her here.

Keep an eye on Betty because her goal in the next 5 years is to run a large impact fund and be in a political position where she can affect policy change!

Social Media Handles

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyfrancisco/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/bettyfrancisco/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/betty.francisco1

 

If you know Betty Francisco be sure to congratulate her on being an Ethnic GEM!