Barbara joined the Chicago Mikva team in July 2019. She is deeply inspired by the work of Jane Addams, and joined AmeriCorps after college to carry on Addams’ work in the modern day. As an AmeriCorps VISTA, Barbara was stationed in the immigrant port of entry neighborhood in which she grew up. Her experiences there solidified her passion for striving for social justice, and recognizing the power of all voices in a community. To date, her nearly two-decade nonprofit career includes work with youth, immigrants, domestic violence survivors, job seekers, and mature workers, all of whom have stories and voices integral to the Chicago tapestry.