Adrienne Betti

Adriana Betti serves as Executive Director of a youth services non-profit organization based on the Berkeley High campus in Berkeley, California. She began her professional journey as a math teacher in the 1980s, driven by a desire to increase the number of students of color pursuing STEM fields. In the early 1990s she developed math curriculum for a local agency supporting at-promise youth, and in 1998 she accepted the role of Executive Director, recognizing the opportunity for greater systemic impact despite the reduced direct contact with students. Betti earned an AA from Sacramento junior college before transferring to UC Berkeley, where she majored in math with applied computer science, and she later completed a master's degree. She also founded a Native youth group in 1994 that emphasizes character development, community commitment, cultural traditions, and post-secondary success; the group has conducted international exchanges and remains housed under her agency. Throughout her work Betti advocates for holistic support that addresses families' basic needs such as food security and utilities, drawing on values of education, advocacy, compassion, empathy, resourcefulness, and sustainability. Her approach integrates case management for both youth and their families to remove barriers to educational and personal achievement.