Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Barbara did her undergraduate work at Gettysburg College, receiving a B.A. in Spanish and Sociology. She earned her M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from Middlebury College in Vermont. She completed some undergraduate studies at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico, and junior year abroad at the University of New York campus in Madrid, Spain. At the graduate level, Barbara received the King Juan Carlos I Fellowship for Spanish Teachers to study in Spain through a joint program between the University of Minnesota and the University of Madrid. Barbara has also traveled and studied in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Peru. She taught high school Spanish full-time from level one to advanced placement for 16 years before deciding to teach university level Spanish part-time while homeschooling her son. She has taught Spanish at Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State University, and Gettysburg College. Barbara has also taught English as a Second Language and preparation courses for the GED.