Barbara Leach is a pioneer in the family advocacy movement with over 30 years of experience as a child and family advocate for families with children who have mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and other special healthcare needs.
Ms. Leach serves as a family advisor on multiple state and national committees that work collaboratively to transform systems so that they better meet the needs of children with disabilities and their families. She presents extensively on topics relating to supporting families, family advocacy, family engagement, family/provider partnership, and systems change.
Ms. Leach is passionate about lifting the voices of diverse families and to promoting families as partners to co-create and develop services and systems that improve outcomes so that individuals with disabilities can live their best lives – healthy, independent, and self-determined.
