Barbara Barrett

Barbara Barrett is an American business and aviation attorney and diplomat. Before the age of 30 she was an officer and executive of two Fortune 500 companies.

Barrett is the chair of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, a member of the U.S.–Afghan Women’s Council, and the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, and the Council on Foreign Relations. In addition to being a member and past chairman of the Thunderbird School of Global Management Board of Trustees, she also serves on the board of the Center for International Private Enterprise, and the senior advisory board of Harvard University's Institute of Politics. In the 1990s, she was president and CEO of the American Management Association in New York City. In the 1980s, she was vice chair of the United States Civil Aeronautics Board, the first female deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and a member of the President's Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations. Barrett is a former president of the International Women's Forum, and a recipient of the Horatio Alger Association's Distinguished American Award.

Barrett is the president and CEO of Triple Creek Guest Ranch in Montana. She also serves on the boards of Mayo Clinic, Smithsonian, Raytheon Company, Exponent, Inc, and The Aerospace Corporation. She has previously served as the chair of the board of Valley Bank of Arizona.

In March 2008 she was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the American ambassador to Finland. In April 2008 the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her nomination.

Barrett received a B.A., M.A., and J.D. from Arizona State University. She also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the university, and in December 2006 she was awarded a Doctorate of International Law Honoris Causa from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

References

* [http://www.aero.org/news/newsitems/barrett031006.html]