Betsy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University. While still in college, Betsy began her career with NASA at Langley Research Center gaining almost 2 years of experience focusing on integration, design, and testing of aircraft and their control systems, such as the F-18 and blended-wing body (BWB). 

Upon graduation, Betsy began working with NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) as a Guidance, Navigation and Control System (GNC) Instructor for the International Space Station (ISS). In this role, Betsy trained numerous astronauts and flight controllers in the Part-Task Trainer (PTT) and Space Station Training Facility (SSTF) simulators. 

As Betsy’s career advanced, she worked as a Boeing Systems Engineer testing the US flight software for the GNC System and became a console operator in the Mission Evaluation Room for flights 1R, 1P, 2A.2b, 3A, and 4A, 5A (Shift Lead for 5A). Throughout her career at JSC, Ms. Fortman traveled overseas helping to train astronauts and cosmonauts on the various systems of ISS and the Russian Soyuz Vehicles. She also served as Deputy of Training Operations (DTOR) in Star City, Russia. 

Upon returning to the States, Ms. Fortman’s career shifted from current spaceflight operations to future spacecraft design analysis. Betsy worked as Chief Engineer of the Astronaut Office Exploration Branch tracking major design changes while assessing habitability and operability for Commercial Crew and Orion. Following her tenure at NASA, Ms. Fortman served as a consultant working with Sophic Synergistics to help integrate the human systems for Axiom Space Station.