Barbara was born and raised in Westfield, graduated from Westfield High School, earned a Bachelors degree in History from Northwestern University and Masters and PhD degrees in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University.

Her professional career was spent in the online information industry working for The New York Times, Dun & Bradstreet and Dow Jones.  She was an adjunct professor at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information for several years.

In addition to serving on the Board of the Adult School, Barbara is active in several volunteer organizations, including the Westfield Historical Society, the Miller-Cory House Museum and the Westfield Service League.

She was co-chair of the Westfield 300 celebration in 2020.