Despite a three-year work-study job in her alma mater’s Office of Communications, Barbara Farland was naïve to her talents in writing and the possibility of it becoming a “real” occupation. About three years after earning a bachelors degree in social work and business from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, her epiphany finally arrived. She enrolled in the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, to earn her masters degree in business communications.

For nearly fifteen years, Barbara worked for a Fortune 500 financial services company and led communications efforts in its public relations and event planning departments. During that time, she earned numerous awards and honors from such reputable organizations as the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals, International Association of Business Communicators, Insurance and Financial Communicators Association, and Meeting Professionals International.

In 2007, Barbara left the financial services industry to establish her own firm, Barbara Farland Creative Group, LLC, which provides writing, editing, and other professional services to organizations of all kinds. As a trusted business consultant, Barbara boasts an impressive portfolio featuring everything from print materials to Web sites to extensive public relations campaigns. She is also a published author with numerous creative and inspirational works to her credit. Barbara has contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving and Recovery, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Mom Ever, Hugs Bible Reflections for Women, Christmas Traditions: True Stories That Celebrate the Spirit of the Season and Cup of Comfort for Fathers, among other publications. She is currently crafting a number of children’s books, Christian devotionals, and writing resources.

Through an intensive life-coaching experience beginning in 2019, Barbara stepped away from her business-writing career to fulfill a lifelong calling: to encourage others in their learning. Today, in addition to continuing to hone her own creative-writing practice, she walks alongside children and teens as an educator.  Barbara is a Language Arts instructor with Art of Problem Solving (AoPS), which serves accelerated students in grades 2-12. She also writes lessons for Study.com.

Barbara shares her home with her husband and daughter in Minneapolis.

Awards & honors
* 2022 Education Minnesota Foundation Grant Recipient
* 2010 Minnesota Christian Writers Guild Annual Writing Contest, 2nd Place
* 2008 Minnesota Christian Writers Guild Annual Writing Contest, 3rd Place
* 2007 IABC Silver Quill Award of Excellence for Special Events: Internal or External
* 2007 Hermes Creative Award (Gold) for Writing/Publication Overall
* 2006 MPI-MN Meeting/Event of the Year (served as author of awards entry)
* 2006 IABC Bronze Quill Award of Merit for Writing
* 2005 IABC Bronze Quill Award of Excellence for Employee/Member Communication
* 2005 IABC Bronze Quill Award of Merit for Electronic/Digital Communication: Internet Sites
* 2003 IABC Silver Quill Award of Excellence for Writing: Scripts
* 2003 LCA Best of Show for Creative Writing
* 2003 MPI-MN Meeting Planner of the Year (served as author of awards entry)
* 2000 IABC Bronze Quill Award of Merit for Recurring Features or Columns