Beatrice Wilkinson Welters

Beatrice Wilkinson Welters brings determination, commitment, and hands-on involvement to all that she undertakes. She has a strong record of service to her country and her community, with a special focus on providing opportunities to underserved young people.

Mrs. Welters served as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from May 2010 through November 2012. Trinidad and Tobago is a pillar of the United States’ Caribbean Basin Initiatives strategy to promote citizen safety and reduce illicit trafficking throughout the region.

Mrs. Welters' passion for helping young people from under-resourced and challenging environments is carried out through the AnBryce Foundation, which she founded with her husband in 1995. Camp Dogwood Summer Academy was the first of the Foundation's programs. Located in rural central Virginia, tuition-free Camp Dogwood welcomes over 100 young campers each summer, providing educational and personal development programs.

Mrs. Welters further advanced the mission of the foundation in 1998 through the creation of the AnBryce Scholars Program at the New York University School of Law. This program assists students of high merit who come from backgrounds of severe economic disadvantage and are the first in their families to attend graduate school, and provides full-tuition scholarships as well as summer employment, mentoring and other enrichment opportunities.

Mrs. Welters serves on the boards of several distinguished Washington, DC institutions, including the Brookings Institution, where she is a member of the Nominating Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Visitors at Colin Powell’s School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York.