About Barbara:

My introduction to the UNM Sales Center began in the Spring 2022 when I taught the Arizona Collegiate Sales Competition. I coached a team each semester and in four out of five competitions, at least one student got into the quarterfinals. In Fall of 2024 I became the Lead Sales Coach. This role included co-teaching Advanced Sales alongside the adjunct professor and leading the initial communication training for all students who wanted to compete each semester.  In addition I have had the pleasure of working alongside four amazing coaches, three of whom are graduates of the Anderson School at UNM.

As life-long New Mexican I have enjoyed a journey of discovery and helping people. As a youngster, we moved about every six months and I developed a  love of traveling. I spent almost a year in Algeria in my 20s when I opted to put school on hold in order to explore a bigger world. What fun I had discovering the Mediterranean coastline, a variety of foods that were unique to that area and the cultural differences that were practiced between men and women in that country.  

I obtained my BA in elementary education. In addition, I became a professional certified sign language interpreter. Then I took my first entrepreneurial leap in 1980. When desk-top computers were introduced, I enjoyed teaching the City of Albuquerque, Sandia National Labs, General Electric and Los Alamos Labs how to use their then NEW computers (PCs). I am grateful that my life-long practice of listening and asking questions helped me help many adults become comfortable and competent with this exciting business tool. 

In 1991 when my husband and I, moved to Dallas, TX, I completed my pre-med and most of the science classes to become a chiropractor. I pivoted though, when I decided that having kids was more my calling than becoming a doctor of chiropractic. Between the age of thirty-five and forty I had my four kids in the comfort of my home with the help of a midwife. 

I believe we all learn by doing. As my kids got older, I wanted them to learn just like they did when they picked up talking, crawling, walking, running, biking, and reading—so I chose unschooling for our family.

This included days filled with healthy eating, gardening, dance, drama, days at the museum, horseback riding, weekly trips to the library, quiet time and public speaking via Toastmasters clubs for the kids. It also included many trips around the US and also ten-day cruises. The kids and I greatly enjoyed this method of exploring and learning all the way through high school. 

I am passionate about my work as a coach, mentor and teacher of adults. I love empowering others to discover and live fully their most inspired life. Experiencing life in the classroom, working with the students who are pursuing a career in sales, is truly an honor.  I love being with the students as they launch their careers in sales.

I am an organizer for 1 Million Cups (1MC)—a Kauffman Foundation program that meets weekly to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. This experience has added to my passion for supporting professional development and fostering innovation within my community especially entrepreneurs in growing their businesses.  Unequivocally, I am committed to serving our diverse local communities. Each student deserves a learning environment where they can discover and live their most inspired life.

Through my career, I have also enjoyed participating in, serving on the board of, and leading as president in Sandoval County Master Gardeners, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO-NM Chapter,) various chapters of Toastmasters International, and Above and Beyond Networking group. 

Educational Workshops

I seek to inspire change in the lives I touch.  One of the ways I do this is to offer educational classes and workshops. I find that participants in my workshops are inspired to explore the many ways communication shapes their lives, including their work, family, friendships, and the community at large.

I can provide a keynote speech for organizations, companies or lunch-and-learn workshops. I can also take these topics and provide 4-16 hour hands-on workshops. If you would like more details about these, please contact me.

Some of my most popular workshops are listed below. I am available to provide keynote speeches for organizations, companies, or lunch-and-learn sessions, and I can also adapt these topics into hands-on workshops ranging from 4 to 16 hours. If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me.  Please link to contact me form.

• Authentic Communication Skills Building:  In this course, the participants experience the power, satisfaction and delight of purposeful and authentic communication. They learn how to build rapport quickly, increase self-confidence, and strengthen relationships. Upon completion of this workshop, the participants will understand, have a working knowledge of, and a clear set of practiced skills to use to strategically create connections with others.In this course, participants experience the power, satisfaction, and delight of purposeful, authentic communication. They learn strategies for building rapport quickly, boosting self-confidence, and strengthening relationships. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a solid understanding and practical set of skills that enable them to create meaningful connections with others.

• Authentic Communication Through the Sale Cycle: I love helping entrepreneurs, small business owners, and sales team fast forward their sales skills so they can do what they are truly passionate about. I have worked with a variety of focused groups, construction workers, chambers of commerce, a high-end furniture company, summer-time charter high school programs, Albuquerque Arts Hub, the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, and a variety of coaches who have attended my open courses.
• Professional Skills Series: A fifteen-hour experiential course which was presented every-other-month over ten months. This workshop was presented to the top supervisors and C-suite at United Way through CNM Ingenuity. The topics included: Effective Communication and Crucial Conversations, Emotional Intelligence, Developing Your Service Based Leadership, Positive Coaching & Continuous Feedback, and Creative Problem-Solving & Decision Making.

What Attendees Are Saying

Barbara was fantastic at working with us through real scenarios. This is so useful. 

• I am looking forward to practicing the skills I learned and improving my communication style. 
• I am working to expand my skills and knowledge to apply for a promotion or new job.
• From a High School participant:  the class was very professional and great
• Lot of good advice, handouts, and explanations. I was able to network, and learned some skills and approaches that I value and that I’ll take with me throughout my career. 
• I realized that there was a better way to approach explaining product, as well learning about a general framework that appeals to people that I should cover, before I rush into selling. 
• The reminder that people buy when they know, like, and trust you. –little mnemonic FORD:  family, occupation, recreation, dreams. I hated small talk when I was younger until I understood it in context of stages in a process. Then I had to learn how to small talk. I didn’t realize until now that this is FORD. –ways to soften some of my language. “What about…” instead of “Why”. Why can sound accusatory or confrontational while “What about” is more inquisitive. I’m so used to hearing about “The Five Why’s” in design thinking. But I see now that the “Five Why’s” is shorthand for the process but the execution could be better with “What about…”