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ABOUT BARBARA O'BRIEN
Bill has selected Barbara O'Brien as his lieutenant governor running mate. Barbara served as president of the Colorado Children's campaign for 15 years.
COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN
Barbara O'Brien, 55, has spent the last 15 years dedicated to improving the lives of Colorado's children. As President of the Colorado Children's Campaign since 1990, she has provided the vision for the state's premier child-advocacy nonprofit agency and improved the lives of more than 1 million Colorado children.
Barbara has led major policy initiatives to improve the health, education and safety of all Colorado children; analyzed data from Colorado counties and state; documented trends; and provided recommendations to policymakers and community leaders on ways they could improve the lives of children in their own communities.
During her tenure at the Children's Campaign, Barbara:
-Co-chaired Amendment 35, the tobacco tax increase to fund health care for children and families in Colorado.
-Worked to create and grow the Colorado Small Schools Initiative, which has created more than 14 schools and led high school reform efforts in the state.
-Helped create the Child Health Plan, providing health insurance for uninsured children.
-Actively worked to pass Amendment 23, the school-funding ballot initiative.
-Helped create and protect the Colorado Preschool Program and the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Fund to support community programs for at-risk kids
COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE
Barbara is widely respected both statewide and nationally for her effective work on children's issues. In addition to her leadership at the Colorado Children's Campaign, Barbara has served on the Mayor's Leadership Team on Early Education, the Governor's Commission on Children and Families, the National Kids County Steering Committee and the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Fund. She also founded and co-chaired the Kids Caucus, a bi-partisan group of state legislators committed to supporting policies that benefit children.
COMMITMENT TO FAMILY
Barbara, 55, is married to Rick O'Brien, a doctor specializing in pulmonary and sleep disorders. Barbara and Rick moved to Colorado in 1982 and raised their two sons, Jared, 24, and Connor, 20, here. It is Barbara's strong passion for her own family, and her early work for former Gov. Richard Lamm on education and health policy, which led Barbara to dedicate her life's work to children's issues.
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