Growing up as the youngest of six children, Betsy Byrne Fisher learned early in life how to speak her mind! She presently is the Vicar of St Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia NY. Previously, Betsy worked as Assistant Priest at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Bedford, New York, and as a seminary intern at the Church of the Messiah in Rhinebeck, New York.

Betsy served as Hospice Chaplain at Dutchess County Hospice from 2004-2005, and as Oncology Chaplain at Westchester Medical Center from 1997-2000. She also worked for three years as a school counselor for deaf teenagers at Mill Neck Manor Lutheran School for the Deaf in Mill Neck, NY, gaining experience in crisis intervention and counseling.

Betsy received her Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 2004 and was ordained to the priesthood in September of that year. Previously, she completed her internship and residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Westchester Medical Center in 1999, training as a Hospital Chaplain specializing in Oncology and Death and Dying. She earned a Certification in Spiritual Direction from the Guild for Spiritual Guidance in 1993. Betsy also holds a Masters of Professional Studies (MPS) in Counseling from the New York Institute of Technology, 1986. She completed her undergraduate education at American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications.

Betsy has been married for 30 years (more than half her life!)  to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas Fisher, Episcopal Bishop of Western Massachusetts. They live in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She spent almost ten years as a stay-at-home Mom to their three children: Caragh (27), Geoffrey (25), and Grace (21), who are the light of her life!