A peek into the veins of Joanne Barber (’91) reveals that she bleeds GU-blue. She is living the dream in her work for her Alma Mater, but for as much as she adores the campus, you’re more likely to find her at her home-office in Bellevue, Washington, gracefully balancing her two jobs—director of development in University Advancement and mom of three boys: Phillip, Henry, and Spencer (pictured below).
As a child growing up in Montana, Joanne was enamored with the elegance of ice skaters and composure of TV news broadcasters.
“I loved roller-skating around,” she recalled, “doing routines with my hair up in big ponytails and pom-poms on my skates. But I couldn’t dance, and even though I loved TV, I didn’t know what path I’d take to get there.”
The clearest path was the one that followed in her father’s footsteps. He was an attorney with an electrical engineering degree and young Joanne viewed her opportunities for debate and mock trial like “mini shows,” which satisfied her fascination with the small screen; however, it was her admiration of her father that sealed the deal.
“My dad was (and is) my idol,” she said. Joanne declared a political science major right away and launched into her experience as a Gonzaga undergraduate with her signature unmatched ambition, and determination.
“I loved political science,” she stated, “and becoming a lawyer felt like a noble pursuit that carried on the family tradition. Plus, it matched with the skills and talents I already had. I ended up taking numerous poli-sci classes from Professor Blaine Garvin—he has such a gift; I took as many courses as I could from him.” Other professors like Bud Hazel, Tim Sarbaugh and Mercedes Carrara at Gonzaga-in-Florence were significant inspirations. “Each one of them just knocked it out of the park,” she smiled.
Like many, Joanne’s Gonzaga experience extended well beyond the classroom. She developed lifelong relationships. The first week at school Joanne met a kind and wickedly smart accounting and honors student, Rich Barber, and this encounter resulted in a union that blessed them with three wonderful sons.
“My Gonzaga experience was formative for me—beginning to end, it was pure joy. My GU friends as well as the Gonzaga community at large have provided a constant source of love, connection, and continuity for me since graduation.”
(Joanne and now-Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh as students in a 1989 Gonzaga marketing photograph)
After graduation, Joanne attended Seattle University School of Law, and then practiced as a defense attorney for several years and considered careers as a judge or in politics. But the appeal of being a full-time mom was stronger.
“I stayed home until our third son was in fifth grade,” she said. “I just couldn’t give up the opportunity to have my babies in my hands. Like my mom who was there for our family at each crucial step of our childhood, I didn’t want to miss any part of this magical time in their young lives.”
She remained active outside the home in volunteer positions, as President of her local Catholic Community Services Circle, and as a founding member of The Northwest Food Allergy Initiative, a non-profit advocacy group. All the while, Joanne kept an eye out for any opportunity to connect with Gonzaga.
“It was my dream after law school to find some way to work for my school,” she said. “I worked for University Relations (now Advancement) as a student, and it was such a positive environment. I would write to them occasionally to say ‘Hi! Remember me? Just dropping a line to say that I have the skills if you need them…’ but never really dreamed it could happen, especially living in the Seattle area”
In 2017, her dream came true when she joined University Advancement as a regional development officer, a role that paired her skills and experience with her immeasurable love of Gonzaga to help raise funds for the University and its students. Joanne is now Director of Development, working closely with many of the deans at Gonzaga in support of their individual academic units. She has also added Gonzaga Mom to her GU hat collection with middle son Henry graduating from Gonzaga in December, and the youngest with an eye toward becoming a Zag in 2024.
“This is my happy place,” Joanne revealed, “it has always been. There’s a sense of calm and peace I find that reinforces that this is where I’m supposed to be. I have been blessed with 30 years of gifts from this school, and now I get to give back.”