Born in Sacramento, CA, Barbara earned her master’s in Intercultural Communication from California State University, Sacramento, and her doctorate from UC San Diego in Communication. Prior to moving to Switzerland in 2023, Barbara primarily worked in higher education, and was a professor and department chair of Communication Studies at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, WA. She now lives in the Emmental with her husband and 2 dogs, where she enjoys teaching English at local primary schools, hiking, riding her horse, and singing with the Berner Joduefroue.