Prior to joining the Chamber, Barbara served as the Regional Manager of the Governor’s Action Team from 1988 to 1996 and was responsible for a 12-county district in Western Pennsylvania . She was appointed to that position initially by former Governor Robert P. Casey and, in 1995, was asked to continue in the assignment by the Ridge Administration.

In her role as Regional Director, Barbara was instrumental in new business locations such as the Sony facility in Westmoreland County and National Gypsum in Beaver County . Implementation of Brownfields legislation enabled her to assist in redeveloping properties such as Washington ’s Landing in the City of Pittsburgh and several Mon Valley sites.

In her current position she advocates for successful reduction in business taxes to make Pennsylvania friendlier to business and additional state funding to assist in product improvement and marketing for Southwestern Pennsylvania .

Barbara holds a B.A. in Independent Studies from Geneva College and certificates from the Institute for Organizational Management, University of Delaware , and the National Development Council in Washington , D.C.