Barb is an integrated designer with a background in product, interior architecture, landscape, and information design. Her love of the creative problem solving process, focus on sustainable systems, and ongoing fascination with patterns in nature were stepping stones that led her to Permaculture Design.

She was introduced to Permaculture Design in 1996 by Dan Earle, then Professor of Landscape Architecture at LSU. Her first foray into Permaculture was a tour of West Coast (USA) sites including John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies, Regenerative Design Institute, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, Aprovecho Research Center, and other locations, including work-study apprenticeships at Lost Valley Education Center and Hidden Villa. Since then she's studied with Dan Hemenway (PDC), OSU/Andrew Millison (Advanced PDC), Darren Doherty (RAC), and Geoff Lawton (PDC).

For the past two decades Barb has been living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (as a California transplant) working with small to medium scale, residential and community Permaculture systems. She and her partner Rick operate an integrated design firm in Hancock, MI.