By Merrell McGinness
INFLUENTIAL GIVING REAPS REWARDS
J
ulie Betts Brandao ’84 still has a photograph from her seventh grade Cat-Rat pairing. She proudly displays her GPS diploma in her office, and she even wore her May Day dress to a Halloween party a few years ago. To say her roots at GPS run deep is an understatement. Brandao’s two sisters, Katherine Betts ’76 and Summer Betts Booker ’80, and two daughters are also Bruisers. Because of this rich heritage, countless fond memories, and lifelong friendships, Brandao gives back. “GPS has always been a part of my family, and I was taught early on that you give back to things that mean something to your heart,” she says. Her parents set the example by generously giving their time and treasure to nonprofits in the community. “The gifts you make not only improve your community, they also connect you to it. You are rewarded when you give. It all comes back.”
JULIE BETTS BRANDAO ’84
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For her contributions to GPS, she feels she has received one of her greatest gifts—the confidence she sees in her two daughters, Katie ’17 and Emma ’21. Katie is currently a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill pursuing a double major in art history and computer science, a passion cultivated in AP Computer Science with Jill Pala Pieritz ’97 and AP Art History with Cathie Ault Kasch ’72.
