Betsey Ord Baun has always been drawn to the stage, and it has been a major part of her life. Recently, the executive director of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc. (SETC), was recognized by her peers for outstanding contributions she has made to the theater by being awarded the Gold Medallion Award for 2012 from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region IV.

The Gold Medallion Award honors individuals or organizations who have significantly dedicated their time, artistry and enthusiasm to the development of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.Baun was presented the award "In recognition of her strong commitment and outstanding service and accomplishment in the area of theater education through her 12 years as head of SETC, an organization dedicated to connecting individuals to opportunity in theater. From the start of her tenure at SETC, Baun has shown dedication to enhancing and strengthening the ties between SETC and KCACTF. Under her leadership, dozens of young people have received unique opportunities to train under the direction of experienced theater artists and technicians and many more have been able to learn about the craft from renowned theater artists in all areas of theater," according to Shelly Elman, chair, Region IV, KCACTF.The Gold Medallion is the most prestigious award given by KCACTF and is considered one of the great honors in theater education.Baun, the daughter of Marilyn and the late Peter Ord of Palmerton, says she was thrilled to receive the award, which was presented at Daytona State College in Florida."When they called me in late December, I was blown away," she says from her SETC office in Greensboro, N.C. during a phone interview."It is an honor that culminates a lifetime of work in the theater that started under the direction of Jerry Geiger, my 12th grade English teacher. It means personal recognition for what I do. My work is to connect others in the world of theater. This award acknowledges that someone from a college of great prestige noticed my hard work."Something a little girl growing up in the outskirts of Palmerton could never have even imagined, back when Baun and her neighborhood friends, Kathleen Christman and Patty Frantz, put on backyard theatrical performances for their families, complete with costumes and background.That love of theater grew stronger as a student at Palmerton Area High School when she had a chance to audition for a school production under the directorship of Geiger. She performed in "Blythe Spirit" and earned the lead role for "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay."After graduation in 1968, she attended Drexel University for two years, studying design. She joined the drama club and gained a lot of stage experience. In the summer of 1969, she studied at Dartmouth College. She transferred from Drexel to Temple University where she earned a B.S. in theater with a minor in acting.She interned at Williams College's professional summer theater. She froze in her initial monologue."It was a blessing. I ended up studying with a famous costume designer, Santo Loquasto, instead. I had a lot of responsibility. And I learned there is more to theater than acting. I loved it!"She married John Baun, who she met at Temple, and who was also involved in theater."I grew up with a lot of traditional values. So I concentrated on furthering my husband's career," she says. That career took him to Milwaukee, Wisc. then Buffalo, N.Y.While raising their two daughters, Julia and Elizabeth, Baun took part-time jobs in the theater, from working in the box office, in a costume shop, costume designing, to selling program ads."I was becoming a 'generalist' without knowing it," she says of the experiences.Those jobs were training for a position as an adjunct professor teaching costuming at Buffalo State College for 11 years."I call myself a 'process junkie'," she says.She looked at the students and knew they were getting a great education, but their statistics of chances for the long-term occupation in acting weren't impressive. So she founded a department of International Center for Students in Creativity.At age 40 she went back to graduate school and got a degree in creativity."Try explaining that on a job application. My father said to me once, 'Betsey, you are the Queen of Useless Degrees,"After she earned this degree, she decided to leave teaching and worked part-time for Theatre for Youth, designing costumes. She won the local 1995-96 Artie Award for costume. She then worked as head of marketing and development at Theatre for Youth."It was about then I thought it was time to get serious about a career."She applied for the position with SETC in 1999. After her interview, she went back to her hotel for a swim. When she returned to the room, she had a message to call back and learned she had the job.Divorced, her daughters grown, she decided to take a large leap of faith and accept the position, which meant moving from New York to North Carolina."My journey in the theater prepared me for it."Baun runs an organization that connects people to opportunities in theater throughout the nation."We are the biggest and best of what we do. Our focus is to help emerging artists/students to get started in theater, as performers, back stage crew and in administration."The biggest SETC event of the year is the annual convention with over 4,200 people attending. Over 780 people, young and old, come looking for positions in theater. There are 54 professional theater companies looking for talent, watching auditions; a job fair with over 70 companies looking at portfolios; five theater festivals looking for people; two high school theatrical competitions; a design competition; 10 community theaters looking for people; 350 workshops."It's a one-stop shop theater extravaganza and we get to put it all together in this office," says Baun of her staff of eight and a vast amount of volunteers.She says of her job, "It's a lot of fun."Something else Baun thinks is fun, is playing outdoors."My parents instilled the love of outdoors in me. I love skiing and swimming. I swim 1/2 mile twice a week, do yoga three times a week and try to walk to work one day a week, which is 1.6 miles."When she was 58, she signed up for a tour in Peru. She hiked for three and a half days on the Incan Trail to Machu Picchu, the mysterious "Lost City of the Incas."Next year, Baun, her daughter Julia and her husband, Tony, plan to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest mountain in Africa. When asked why she wants to climb it, her answer is, "To know I can."Where does she see herself five years from now?"Whatever it is, it will be exciting. I'm always looking for the next best thing."One thing is sure, theater and the arts will figure prominently."I'm a firm believer that the arts enhance quality of life and any quality of life includes the arts."