2023 Most Influential Women: Betsy Fogle

State Rep. Betsy Fogle, D-Springfield, believes in leaving her community better than she found it.

As a member of the Missouri House of Representatives and AFL-CIO community service labor liaison for United Way of the Ozarks, she’s doing just that on the state and local levels.

Behind it all, she says, is a love of the place she calls home.

“I grew up in Springfield and have called this city home my whole life. I graduated from Springfield Public Schools, attended Missouri State University, played sports at Springfield’s many parks and enjoyed decades of Artsfests, Cider Days, lake trips and Springfield Cardinals games. Almost everything I love exists in the city boundaries of Springfield, and every opportunity that I’ve been given has come from living in 417-land,” Fogle says. “After graduating college, I made it my mission to help other kids growing up in Springfield have the same opportunities I had.”

One of the few Democratic state legislators in southwest Missouri, Fogle has focused her efforts in the House on health care access, poverty, safety and education issues. She’s on the House committees of Budget, Fiscal Review and Healthcare Reform, as well as the Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health and Social Services and the Task Force on Distributed Energy Resources and Net Metering, according to House.mo.gov.

“Healthy families build a healthy community, and I lead with that at the forefront of my mind,” Fogle says. “The theme you will find in my career is constant – I want Springfield families to thrive.”

Brandy Harris, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield Inc., credits Fogle with “tireless efforts to promote equitable access to opportunity.”

“Betsy has an unwavering belief in the transformative power of equal access, and she has worked diligently to remove barriers that impede progress for marginalized individuals and communities,” says Harris, noting she has worked with Fogle in recent years to improve equity in the community. “Betsy’s commitment to inclusivity ensures that the voices of underrepresented individuals are not only heard but also amplified in legislative processes. She has been instrumental in championing policies that seek to bridge socioeconomic gaps, address systemic disparities, and create an environment where everyone has a fair chance at success.”

Fogle continues to find ways to give back to her community. She’s served on the Isabel’s House Associate Board, as a member of Leadership Springfield Class 37 and on the University of Missouri Extension Council in southwest Missouri.

“I am a firm believer that success is not a finite resource and that the more others in our community succeed, the more we will all succeed,” she says. “This mentality shapes my views on influencing others. I am deliberate about creating mentorships with young women to help usher in the next generation of leaders and help them feel connected to 417-land. I am also intentional about shopping local and investing in the small businesses that make our city great and being a cheerleader for our schools, universities and sports teams.”