Life-long Delaware County Resident & Citizen Corps of Delaware County Volunteer Elizabeth (Betsy) Walls Recognized as a CDC PHEP Trailblazer!

Released: January 23, 2023

Delaware County Council commends Elizabeth (Betsy) Walls, a life-long Delaware County resident and long-time Citizen Corps of Delaware County volunteer, on her recent recognition by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for her invaluable contributions to the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP)—earning her recognition as one of just two “PHEP Trailblazers” from Pennsylvania!

Betsy’s recognition as a Pennsylvania PHEP Trailblazer for her decades-long service to public health comes as CDC celebrates the 20th anniversary of the PHEP program. Only a select number of state, local, and territorial public health preparedness workforce members throughout the nation are awarded the “PHEP Trailblazer” recognition, and Delaware County is proud that Betsy was among this prestigious group.

“Betsy has been an amazing leader. The Delaware County Medical Reserve Corps has been extremely fortunate to have someone with her background and experience on the team,” said Timothy Boyce, Director of the Delaware County Emergency Services Department.

A graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing and Widener University Graduate School of Nursing and Business, Betsy served the Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Nursing, Nurse Administration, and Nurse Education for over 30 years and Penn Medicine Chester County as a Nursing Supervisor for seven years. Betsy has also held several notable leadership roles, serving as President of the Delaware County Nurse Association, Pennsylvania Nursing Association, and President of the Pennsylvania Nurses Foundation. Her assistance with the development and implementation of volunteer education operations has contributed greatly to Chester and Delaware counties’ vaccination efforts, during which she provided over 600 hours of service.

“On behalf of Delaware County Council, I want to congratulate Betsy for her decades of selfless service to not only our county, but to Chester and Philadelphia counties as well,” said Delaware County Council Vice Chair Elaine Paul Schaefer. “The groundwork laid by the PHEP program, and Betsy’s contributions before and during the pandemic helped the County respond quickly and aggressively to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Included in her illustrious career is a decade of service as a Flight Nurse for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, where she traveled to many exotic and distant locations, including Cuba, Germany and Japan among others. Despite her official retirement, Betsy continues to serve as part of the Citizen Corps of Delaware County Leadership Team.

Congratulations Betsy!