Barbara has been with the U.S. Department of State for over 30 years and is a Senior Advisor in the Bureau of International Organizations Affairs.  She is an expert multilateral negotiator with more than 25 years of experience and holds a Master’s Degree in International Policy and Practice and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Affairs, both from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  Barbara is an avid gardener, focusing on native plants, and her Northern Virginia garden is certified by multiple conservation NGOs.  She is also a firm believer that “if you build it, they will come” and particularly enjoys volunteering at the LWC native plant and milkweed sales, helping local residents find suitable native plants to attract wildlife, particularly pollinators, to their gardens.