Barbara has been very active in the community having served as the President of the George Edgecomb Bar, the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers and the Hillsborough Bar Foundation. She has served on the Florida Legal Services Board of Directors. She was also elected and served a term on the Hillsborough County Bar, Board of Directors and currently serves on the Florida Legal Services Board of Directors and the Bay Area Legal Services Development Committee. In addition, Barbara is active with her church, a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the National Council of Negro Women. For the past nine years she has been a member of Jack and Jill America, Inc. and has served as President of the Greater Tampa Chapter.

Barbara has taught at the University of the Virgin Islands in its Paralegal program and recently at the University of South Florida as an adjunct professor in Women’s Studies. Barbara is married to Attorney Henry Thomas and has raised two boys with him. She cherishes the time she spends with her husband and her mother. Barbara has a life long love of swimming and boating and spends her leisure time around the water.