In 2013, Betsy DeVos sat down with a Philanthropy Magazine editor for an interview. DeVos is known as a reformer for the education movement. When she was younger, she attended Calvin College. Before getting married, people knew her as Elizabeth Prince. While in college, she became heavily involved in politics. She has been active in politics ever since.

For the last 40 years, Betsy DeVos has been a leader of campaigns, action committees, party organizations and charities. Reforming runs deep in her family and the family of her husband, Dick DeVos. In 2006, Betsy’s husband had an unsuccessful run trying to become the next governor of Michigan.

Just as with politics, both Betsy and her husband look for creative solutions to many social issues being faced around the country. Betsy has served as a chairperson for the Windquest Group. It is a private organization that invests in manufacturing, technology and clean energy. She founded the firm back in 1989 with her husband. He is also a former president of his father’s company, Amway Corporation. He used to be the president of a Florida NBA franchise called the Orlando Magic.

During her interview with Philanthropy Magazine, the editor realized that Betsy feels optimistic about educational reform and the progress it has seen in the last decade. At the time the article was written, there were almost 300,000 students across 17 states that were taking part in the educational choice programs offered. To her, the increase in these programs across the country shows the public’s awareness of how unsuccessful traditional public schools are. This has helped more Americans be open-minded about radical educational reform programs such as tax credits, vouchers and education savings accounts.

When Betsy DeVos initially got involved in educational reform, it was considered a radical movement. Philanthropy Magazine wanted to know why she wanted to get involved. She insisted that it was not a single thing that drew her in. When her children were school-aged, she and her husband visited local schools and found out how hard low-income families were working to get their kids a good education. Many parents were doing everything in their power to provide a safe environment for their kids to learn and explore their curiosity.

Dick and Betsy DeVos Unveil Large Donations

Last year, Betsy and Dick DeVos unveiled how much they have spent on charitable contributions. It adds up to be more than $140 million altogether. For many people that know the family, this is not a huge surprise. This high-profile family loves to donate to causes they feel passionate about.