Barbara Barrett Bio
Barbara McConnell Barrett (born December 26, 1950) is an American businesswoman, attorney, and diplomat who served as the 25th United States Secretary of the Air Force from 2019 to 2021. A Republican with broad experience in business, aviation, and international affairs, she previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Finland under President George W. Bush. She has also held leadership roles in higher education and on several major corporate and nonprofit boards, including Caltech and the Smithsonian Institution.
An instrument-rated pilot and trained astronaut backup, Barrett has combined a career in law, corporate leadership, and public service with longstanding involvement in aerospace and defense policy. She is married to Craig Barrett, the retired chairman and CEO of Intel, and is known for owning and operating the Triple Creek Guest Ranch.
Early Life and Background
Barbara McConnell Barrett was born on a farm in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, on December 26, 1950. Growing up in a rural agricultural setting shaped her lifelong interest in ranching and the outdoors, which she has continued through her ownership of the Triple Creek Guest Ranch in Arizona.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in liberal arts, Master of Public Administration in international business, and Juris Doctor degrees at Arizona State University. Over the years, Barrett has also been awarded honorary doctorates from Arizona State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of South Carolina, Pepperdine University, and Finlandia University.
Path to US Politics
Barrett first entered the political arena in 1994 when she ran for the Republican nomination for Governor of Arizona, hoping to become the first female Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state. She faced incumbent governor Fife Symington in the Republican primary but did not secure the nomination.
Following that campaign, she expanded her public service profile through international diplomacy. In 2008, President George W. Bush nominated her as U.S. Ambassador to Finland, a post she held until 2009. Her diplomatic work also included serving as a senior advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and chairing the State Department’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Working Group.
Barbara Barrett Career
Early Career (1970s–1990s)
Before turning 30, Barbara McConnell Barrett had already served as an executive at two global Fortune 500 companies. She began her professional life as an attorney, working as a partner at the Phoenix law firm Evans, Kitchel and Jenckes, where she focused on corporate matters.
She later moved into finance and community leadership, becoming the founding chair of Valley Bank of Arizona. She also chaired the Arizona District Export Council, the World Affairs Council of Phoenix, and the Economic Club of Phoenix, gaining experience that would prepare her for federal service.
Breakthrough (2000s)
In 2000, Arizona State University renamed its Honors College “The Craig and Barbara Barrett Honors College” in recognition of a $10 million donation from Barbara and her husband Craig Barrett, who was then serving as CEO of Intel. This gift cemented her standing as a leading philanthropist in Arizona higher education.
Her federal diplomatic breakthrough came in 2008 when she was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Finland, a role she held until 2009. During her tenure she bicycled 900 kilometers across Finland to engage local communities. She also completed a Mount Kilimanjaro climb in August 2007, reflecting her interest in endurance and international engagement.
Secretary of the Air Force Era (2019–2021)
On May 21, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Barbara McConnell Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force. The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination by a strong vote of 85–7 on October 16, 2019, and she was sworn in as the 25th Secretary of the Air Force on October 18, 2019.
As Secretary, Barrett led the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, which includes both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force. Her tenure reflected her lifelong aerospace background, including her time as chair of The Aerospace Corporation. On January 12, 2021, she announced her intention to resign a day before the presidential inauguration.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her aviation milestones, Barrett is recognized as the first civilian woman to land in an F/A-18 Hornet on an aircraft carrier, riding in the back seat. She also trained as an astronaut in 2009 at Star City, Russia, and served as the backup spaceflight participant for the Soyuz TMA-16 mission to the International Space Station. In 2014, she was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame.
Barbara Barrett Career Wins
Barbara McConnell Barrett’s career is marked by a series of pioneering firsts and high-profile appointments across business, diplomacy, and military service. Her leadership roles at major institutions reflect decades of accumulated expertise in aerospace, law, and international relations.
Public Service Highlights
Barrett served as the 25th United States Secretary of the Air Force from 2019 to 2021, following her earlier service as the U.S. Ambassador to Finland from 2008 to 2009. She also held the position of deputy director at the Federal Aviation Administration and vice chairman of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board.
She chaired The Aerospace Corporation and served on numerous boards, including Caltech, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the RAND Corporation, the Smithsonian Institution, the Mayo Clinic, Raytheon, and the Hershey Trust Company. In 1999 through 2001, she served as president of the International Women’s Forum.
Other Wins and Achievements
In higher education, Barrett served as interim president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2012 and was a fellow teaching leadership at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She also served as CEO of the American Management Association and founded Project Artemis, a program to train and mentor Afghan women entrepreneurs at Thunderbird.
Barbara Barrett Family
Family Background and Public Service Lineage
Barbara McConnell Barrett was born on a farm in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, a setting that contributed to her lifelong connection to agriculture and land stewardship. She has been recognized for her entrepreneurial ownership of Triple Creek Guest Ranch since 1994, a property she and her husband have run together.
Personal Life
Barbara McConnell Barrett is married to Craig Barrett, the retired chairman and CEO of Intel Corporation. Together, they have been active philanthropists in higher education and aerospace. Outside of her professional career, she is an instrument-rated pilot, an endurance athlete, and a cattle and bison rancher.