Whether she's surrounded by the children she champions or holding court in a spacious boardroom, Betti Joan Hinton is both tenacious and passionate about her mission: securing the health and welfare of children.

For more than 30 years, Betti has worked to improve the lives of children everywhere. In 1969, Betti took over as director of Social Services for the Petersburg Training School in Petersburg Virginia. In 1970, she moved on to the University of Cincinnati where she became the Assistant professor of Social Work. Simultaneously, she was working as a Psychiatric Social worker at the Children’s Psychiatric center in Cincinnati. In 1974, Betti Hinton became coordinator of Day Hospital Social Services and served as such until 1978.

In 1980, Betti became the acting Executive Director for the Central Community Health Board of Hamilton County Inc. She was responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating all programs as well as a large budget and dedicated staff. And, as the Director of Children’s Services, Betti was also responsible for planning, developing, and coordinating comprehensive mental health services programs delivered by an interdisciplinary staff, serving children from pre-school through adolescence.

She now serves as president of Children’s Protective Service and FamiliesFORWARD, a nonprofit, neighborhood, school-based family resource program she created. The program unites schools, parents, and students to improve academic achievement and personal growth.

Betti has been honored many times throughout her distinguished career. She has received the Cincinnati Social Worker of the Year Award, the Mayor’s Hero Award and Key to the City of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Public Schools “Setting the Standard” Award for improving the state of our schools, the NAACP Wright-Overstreet Award for community service, and the Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year 2001, among many others.