Lurie College is excited to welcome it’s new Director of Development, Barbara Ybarra, to the community!

Barbara Ybarra is passionate about ending generational poverty through access to higher education, civic engagement, and community service for students and their families.  With over 20 years of local and national leadership experience in the intersection of public policy, government, and the nonprofit sector, Ms. Ybarra will join the Lurie College from the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI), where she has been the Interim Executive Director.  Prior to serving as BLCI’s Interim Executive Director, Ms. Ybarra served as BCLI’s first Chief Advancement Officer.  In this role, she grew the organization’s budget from $1.3 million to $3 million.  This growth has enabled BLCI to serve over 600 students and families in a community in which only 3% of adults have a college degree.

Her previous professional roles and accomplishments include serving as the Executive Director of One San Diego, the National Program Director for Eureka Communities, an executive training organization for non-profit leaders in San Diego, Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, San Francisco and Washington D.C. and as a consultant with the Annie E. Casey Foundation for their “Neighborhood Development Initiative.” The latter led to a $500,000 economic development grant to the Bronze Triangle area of San Diego.

Ms. Ybarra is a graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Political Science and holds an MBA. The honor she holds dearest to her heart is being an aunt to her nephew Rex who inspires her to work tirelessly on behalf of communities and causes she is committed to transforming.