READ: 20 Questions with Beth Ernst

BIO: Beth Ernst has been with Westby Associates since 2018, serving in various positions and capacities on her way to her current position as Associate.

Beth’s combination of organizational skills, strategic thinking, and non-profit leadership experience uniquely qualifies her in this work. Her depth of knowledge with foundations and grant funding, meanwhile, adds a specialized focus to her Associate acumen. Beth brings a wide variety of non-profit experience to complement the variety of clients who partner with Westby Associates.

Beth first realized her passion for working with non-profits while serving at the Staff Volunteer for Brethren Volunteer Service, based in Elgin, IL. After two years assisting with volunteer orientation, mid-year retreats, non-profit project support and general office work, Beth knew her calling was to be involved in non-profits in one way or another. She then moved to the Pacific Northwest and found her niche working at Animal Aid, a local no-kill animal shelter. Here she was an integral part to all operations at the small non-profit, gaining experience in everything from bookkeeping, marketing, and development, to giving insulin to a cat and cleaning a lot of litter boxes! After meeting her (now) husband Beth moved north of the Columbia River and sustained her connection with Animal Aid as a member of the Board of Directors.
In her free time, Beth immerses herself in a wide variety of artistic and creative projects, often enhancing the home she shares with her husband, four rescue cats and dog.