Barbara Barnes: Educator, Leader, and Partner
Barbara Barnes is a lifelong educator who served 17 years as a school principal in Cupertino, Irvine, and at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. She served as Director of Business Partnerships for Irvine Unified School District and consulted with educators and business leaders across the United States and internationally.
Her work includes partnerships with schools in underserved communities and with public, private, charter, magnet, faith‑based, and home schools. Barbara also served on the Dean of Education’s Advisory Council at UC Irvine and on the advisory councils for the Crystal Cove State Park Alliance and the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center.
From Conferences to Curriculum
Barbara’s speaking engagements have included international business and education conferences across the US, England, France, Norway, Canada, and New Zealand. She established the EFG Curriculum Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) which coordinated ten summer curriculum conferences and presented to schools and business partners internationally.
The collaborative’s work culminated in the It's the Kids! curriculum that Barbara developed. She was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce.