Beth Turner is Business Manager at Counter Tools. Beth has worked in the nonprofit sector for years and is passionate about health equity and volunteering in her community. Learn more about Beth’s background in her staff profile below.
Tell us a little bit about your background before you came to Counter Tools.
Before coming to Counter Tools, I was cycling out of Girls Rock NC after 10 years. I was also deep in my role as a town commissioner in Pittsboro while the Chatham Park development was starting.
How long have you worked at Counter Tools and what made you decide to work here?
May of this year will mark my 7th year working at Counter Tools. I was looking for something different than an arts nonprofit, but wanted to remain in the nonprofit sector. A former Girls Rock NC camper parent introduced me to Allison Myers, co-founder and first Executive Director at Counter Tools. The organization’s mission of promoting health equity through data appealed to me and I liked the gritty, startup vibe that was going on at the time.
What is something you enjoy about your role?
Working mostly ‘behind the scenes’, since I do mostly day-to-day administrative and finance functions of the organization.
What is something you like about working at Counter Tools?
The people and their dedication to the organization’s mission.
What is a specific project you have worked on at Counter Tools that energized you or felt rewarding?
Working on our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies and processes.
What is a cause or issue you are passionate about and how are you involved?
Any cause that supports women’s access to healthcare and choice. I am a modernist home enthusiast and support NC Modernist in Durham. And Kitten Lady, an organization that provides resources to help individuals and animal shelters learn how to save the lives of very young kittens. Since the pandemic, I’ve mostly just been a sustainer to these organizations, but look forward to being able to volunteer in person again one day.
What is an organization you look to for leadership or resources?
My MBA program at NCSU has many resources for cultivating leadership skills, so I have been taking these opportunities as time permits. The Racial Equity Institute in Greensboro has been a good resource for our team and they are my first ‘go to’ for RE training.
Who is an influential person for you and how have they changed your outlook?
Ah, so many women along the way! Stacey Abrams comes to mind currently because I believe that she has resisted many obstacles to shift political outcomes with more equitable and inclusive results. She embodies ‘be the change you want to see in the world’.
What is something you spend time on outside of Tools that energizes you?
Writing songs and playing in a band. I also love to travel, but that has not happened lately due to the pandemic.
Do you have any pets, children or other family members you’d like to mention?
Three sweet kitties, Claude, Maurice and Coco.
