Barbara is a retired permanent clerk to Justice Kruger on the California Supreme Court. She is also a former Swords' staff member; Barbara was a staff attorney in Swords' Legal Department and served for a time as Interim Legal Director. Before that, she was a criminal defense lawyer with a specialty in complex mental health issues and also worked on cases involving the rights of low wage workers and students experiencing housing insecurity and mental health challenges. Originally from New Mexico, Barbara received her J.D. from Stanford Law School. Her father and uncles all served in the U.S. Army.