Our Board of Directors
Betsy Myers
Founder & president
For more than 20 years, Dr. Betsy Myers has been a physician, starting her military service in 1998 as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. She received her Medical Degree from Oklahoma State University in 2002 and was promoted to Captain. Dr. Myers completed her general surgery internship at Fort Bliss and joined the 4th Infantry Division Surgeon Section shortly after.
In 2004, she was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq as a field surgeon for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dr. Myers later returned to the States and integrated into civilian life but she never stopped serving our country. After completion of her psychiatry residency, Dr. Myers worked at the Veteran’s hospital in Arizona, supporting our service members’ mental health as they transitioned from military service to civilian life. She even created the “Lioness Program,” a support group for female veterans who deployed. The Lioness Program provided female veterans with the space to meet, bond, and share combat experiences.
In 2021, Dr. Myers launched her own private psychiatry practice focusing on PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Dr. Myers founded Pole Impact with the vision that pole can heal. She has found immense strength and confidence from the sport and knows that it can aid in anyone’s – especially service members’ – journey towards improved mental and physical health.
Lou Durant
Vice President
Lou Durant is a born optimist with a passion for serving Arizona families and military veterans. She spent five years in the United States Air Force, earning Senior Airman Below the Zone and shortly thereafter, the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSgt). When she transitioned back into civilian life, she earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a master's degree in Education - Curriculum and Instruction; along with teaching credentials in CA, FL, and AZ.
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Lou’s dedication to helping others is evident in all aspects of her life. She worked as a classroom teacher for 16 years and currently
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serves on various boards and committees dedicated to child and family support , teacher education, and workplace diversity. Lou is employed full-time at another non-profit agency directed towards improving services for Arizona children and families.
Lou knows first-hand how sports can bring purpose and passion to one’s life. That knowledge along with her military background and strong sense of community drives Pole Impact’s mission – to serve Tucson’s veterans and other underrepresented populations.
amy Barnett
Secretary
Amy Barnett has over 12 years of entrepreneurial experience. She created, owns, and currently operates a business that designs and manufactures patches for the uniforms of our United States Airmen. It is her passion to serve those who serve us, and she has translated this mission into Pole Impact.
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Amy’s managerial expertise guides our nonprofit’s dedication to empowering individuals through pole, especially those who served our country.
Stacey Bert
Treasurer
Stacey Bert has worked for over 10 years in finance and risk management and, most recently, in entrepreneurship and the investments industry.
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Stacey found pole fitness in June 2019 and completely fell in love with not only the sport, but her new pole family. She loves how pole is a fun workout that celebrates the body’s strength, grace, and beauty. Pole has also introduced Stacey to many amazing talented athletes who have much to share.
Stacey is determined to grow Pole Impact into a safe, creative space that supports the local community - especially Tucson’s veteran community. Stacey comes from a family with a long military history and is dedicated to giving back to our Armed Forces. As Pole Impact's treasurer, Stacey is poised to make smart money decisions that will help Pole Impact flourish so it can serve its community for years to come.
Stacey has two amazing daughters, a wonderful husband and is a lover of dachshunds. In her free time, she fosters rescue dogs until they find their forever homes.
our coordinators
Katerina Frye
Marketing Coordinator
Katerina graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a BA in English and Psychology and a minor in Marketing & Communications. She is currently pursuing an MS in Professional Writing from New York University, and is looking to write her thesis on the origins of pole.
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Katerina discovered pole during the pandemic and has been an avid poler ever since! She took second in USPSF Nationals in 2023 and went to Worlds that same year.
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Katerina supports Pole Impact, Inc. by managing the website, designing marketing materials, and all the random stuff in between.