Betty Franca, a native of Koper, Slovenia, got her high school diploma from High School for Turism in Izola, after which she worked for a travel agency in Portoroz. Already then she loved to travel and learn foreign languages. In 1995 she decided to travel to California, more exactly to San Francisco, where for a few years she worked as a tour guide for Slovenian-, Italian- and English speaking groups. At the same time she studied real estate and soon completed the state exam for the real estate license. For the next seven years she worked for a commercial real estate company in Oakland, California. Besides working full time, Betty attended school: she got her Bachelor's degree in political science from University of California at Berkeley, and a master's degree – MBA – from San Francisco State University. "There were many things in my earlier years which I deemed impossible. One of those things could be going to school while working full-time – but I didn't think a whole lot about it; I wanted to get an education, and pay for my schooling as I went. With time this process only became natural to me, I got my Bachelor's degree as planned in four years, and Master's degree in two years. I realized this isn't all that difficult. The recipe for success is a lot of persistence and discipline, and having a goal. I guarantee you that historically people have done a lot more challenging things", Betty concluded with a smile. Today Betty lives in San Jose, California, and works as the Executive Assistant to the President/CEO of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Silicon Valley is a world renowned region particularly for information technology and innovation.   bettyfranca@yahoo.com

"The Chamber President/CEO, Pat Dando, is my second greatest female inspiration. Her energy and audacity are uncomparable. I have a lot to learn from her." Upon our question of who is her first greatest female inspiration, Betty proudly announces without hesitation "Undoubtedly my mom Sonja."

"Direktorica Zbornice, Pat Dando, je druga moja največja ženska inspiracija. Malokdo se lahko kosa z njeno energijo in korajžo. Od nje se moram še veliko naučiti". Na vprašanje, kdo je pa prva največja inspiracija, Betty brez obotavljanja pove: "Nedvomno moja mama Sonja."  

Koprčanka Betty Franca je končala srednjo turistično šolo v Izoli, in se nato zaposlila v turistični agenciji v Portorožu. Od nekdaj je rada potovala in se učila tujih jezikov. Leta 1995 se je odločila odpotovati v Kalifornijo, točneje v San Francisco, kjer je prvih nekaj let delala kot turistična vodička za slovensko-, italijansko- in angleško govoreče skupine. Istočasno se je učila o posredovanju nepremičnin in kmalu je opravila državni izpit za nepremičninsko licenco. Nato se je zaposlila v agenciji za posredovanje poslovnih prostorov, kjer je ostala naslednjih 7 let. Poleg redne službe je Betty tudi študirala: fakulteto je zaključila na univerzi Berkeley – smer politologija, ter se takoj zatem vpisala na univerzo v San Franciscu, kjer je opravila magisterij, oz. MBA. "Veliko je bilo stvari, katere sem v mlajših letih smatrala za nemogoče. Ena od teh stvari bi lahko bila tudi redno šolanje ob službi – vendar nisem veliko razmišljala, želela sem se šolati, in si šolanje tudi sproti odplačevati. Spotoma mi je tale proces postal "naraven", fakulteto sem zaključila v načrtovanih štirih letih, in magisterij v dveh. Ugotovila sem, da to ni tako težko. Recept za uspeh je veliko vztrajnosti in discipline, ter imeti cilj. Zagotovim vam pa, da so v zgodovini ljudje počeli veliko zahtevnejše stvari," nam je z nasmeškom namignila Betty. Danes Betty živi v San Jose, Kalifornija, in je zaposlena kot pomočnica direktorici gospodarske zbornice za Silicon Valley, ki je svetovno znana regija po tehnologiji ter inovacijah. Njena slika je prilozena na nasi spletni strani. Kdor bi rad stopil z Betty v kontakt naj ji pise na: bettyfranca@yahoo.com