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NATCHEZ — After a career of teaching history, Betty Jo Harris is using her knowledge in a new way as director of operations at the Historic Natchez Foundation.

Carter Burns, the foundation’s executive director, said Harris is the perfect fit for the newly organized job at HNF.

“It is a new position, and it isn’t. I took an old position and changed the duties to create a director of operations,” he said. “She is handling our membership and doing development and managing the office and helping out with a lot of other activities as well.

“Her background made her a really great fit. In addition to teaching history at Co-Lin, Betty Jo was in charge of the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. She has the knowledge and background and experience in organizing large events,” Burns said.

Despite beginning her job in June, Harris is no newcomer to the Historic Natchez Foundation. She has served on its board of trustees.

“She was set to become president of our board. She was such a great board member that I decided to ask her if she wanted this position,” Burns said.

“It’s been different being out of the classroom, but I am using a lot of the same skill sets that I used as director of the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. We have lots of different projects going on at the same time that require lots of follow-up,” Harris said.

One of her jobs now is liaising with the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, based in Jackson, which owns the Temple B’nai Israel in Natchez. The Historic Natchez Foundation routinely gives tours at the temple and organizes events there, acting as a local caretaker.

“I have already given a couple of tours there and have familiarized myself with that particular history, which is fascinating,” Harris said. “Curiosity is a good skill to have working here.”

Harris said she is learning that many are not certain about the Historic Natchez Foundation’s role and mission, and she hopes to help with that. Speaking to the Rotary Club of Natchez recently, she began by describing what the foundation is not.

“We are not the Natchez Preservation Commission. We are not the Natchez Planning Commission. We are not the Natchez Historical Society,” she said.

Harris said the Historic Natchez Foundation is a multifaceted agency that does everything from helping historic house and building owners with historic preservation tax credits to helping people who seek more information on family genealogy to being a depository for Natchez family artifacts and papers.

“It’s amazing what is here and what we help people with in terms of Natchez history,” Harris said.

Harris is a native of Tensas Parish, Louisiana. She holds a bachelor of arts in history, a master of arts in history, and a master of arts in teaching from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Harris is a former history instructor at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and was the coordinator of the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration.

She is the former president of the Junior League of Monroe and served as a board member for the Louisiana Purchase Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Monroe Garden Study League.

She serves as a board member for the Mississippi Book Festival and the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce.

All are welcome and encouraged to become members of the Historic Natchez Foundation. Memberships start at $35 for students, $75 for individuals, and $125 for families.

Other levels of support are available, known as Pillars of Support. The Historic Natchez Foundation website, natchez.org, has more information.