Barbara grew up in New England. Her family is originally from Buffalo, New York. She has lived in Texas, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Ohio, Massachusetts, California, Iowa and Germany. She has two daughters of whom she is very proud who are students at Iowa State University. Shannon is an Art & Design major with Art History/Photography focus; and Katrina is a Political Science major who will graduate in May 2009 and is in the process of applying to law school.