Barbara Barreno-Paschall has dedicated herself to promoting diversity and inclusion for two decades. Vice chair and commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, she previously worked as a housing attorney at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. Her pro bono representation of immigrants seeking asylum was honored by the law firm Sidley Austin. She served as chair of the National Latina/o Law Student Association and is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of Chicago, and the International Women’s Forum. 

As VP of Harvard Alumni for Global Women’s Empowerment, Barreno-Paschall launched an initiative connecting the Harvard community with grassroots organizations around the world serving women and girls. At the Harvard Club of Chicago, she serves as a board member, Early College Awareness Program chair, and alumni interviewer. A member of both the Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance and Alumnae-i Network of Harvard Women, Barreno-Paschall understands how “intersectional identities can be powerful in advancing diversity and inclusion”, and she consistently advocates for “actionable steps that will make diversity and inclusion a reality.”