Cindy Barnard is a devoted advocate for equity and inclusivity in public education. Her passion and understanding of systemic racial and economic inequities have grown through her advocacy work for public education and her work with students of color. Cindy’s advocacy work is driven by Steven Frost’s social charge: “Diversity is reality; inclusion is a choice.” She is determined to turn inclusion into a given, not a choice.
For several years, Cindy volunteered at La Academia, focusing on helping English-as-a-second-language high school students to bridge the challenging complications of language and learning disabilities.
Cindy co-founded Taxpayers for Public Education a 501 (c4) organization that advocated for public education. She led the effort that thwarted Douglas County School District’s attempt to direct public funds to private and religious schools. As president of TFPE, Cindy spent eight years lobbying at the State Capitol for public education issues.
She served as board chair of Starting from Scratch, a project of Colorado Non-profit Development Center. SFS’s programming served adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, teaching skills that immediately transfer to daily life.
Cindy holds a masters in business administration from The University of Denver. Her professional roles have included financial analyst, human resources director, and college instructor.