Barbara was raised in Lakewood, Colorado, the third of four children born to a wonderful set of parents. They taught her to be honest, hard-working, thrifty, and curious. Summers were spent at their mountain home or climbing Colorado’s Fourteeners; winters were spent skiing and snowshoeing. Barbara earned a degree in journalism from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. After graduation, she was one of 12 journalism majors in the country to be selected as a Pulliam Fellow in Indianapolis. However, her heart was still in Colorado, so she accepted a job with the Durango Herald. While there, she wrote about life in the Southwest and created an environmental column, for which she won an award for best column in the state.