Holding considerable expertise in writing of all sorts, both technical and creative, Barbara Green specializes in writing, designing and producing corporate communications, technical documentation, training manuals, and creative texts, such as novels, newspaper and magazine articles, and essays. After studying at St. John of the Cross from 1961 to 1964, she graduated with a diploma from Lyons Township High School in 1968 and earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Drake University in 1972. She subsequently earned a Master of Arts in journalism at Southern Illinois University in 1975.
Attributing much of her success to her mentor, Norbert Blai, Ms. Green began her career as an instructor at the College of DuPage in 1980, teaching various types of writing — creative writing, memoir writing, composition, technical writing and poetry writing — until 2007. During this time, she was also involved with the Lisle Sun Newspaper, where she was a columnist and occasional featured reporter from 1993 and 2005, and Lucent Technologies, rising from technical developer of online training and documentation to training manager in the global provisioning and logistics division, where she developed training for the China and Germany facilities, between 1997 to 1999. While at Lucent, she also wrote articles for and helped published the Chief Reinvention Project Magazine.
Initially inspired to a career in writing due to her love of telling stories and her active mind, Ms. Green continued her studies at the University of Chicago, where she focused on Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau and how their friendships contributed to their art. She graduated with a Master of Arts in liberal arts and English in 1999. From 2001 to 2005, she was editor-in-chief of the Naperville Writers Group. In this role, she helped the group to improve and expand their small literary magazine, become less dependent on commercial printers, and widen their marketing area to include local bookstores and book fairs.
Feeling that she could do a better job that the companies she was working for, Ms. Green opened her own business, Barbara Green Communications, in 2005, where she excels as a novelist and chief executive officer. In her day to day work, she translates difficult technical material into more understandable texts, presents training opportunities, and creates creative original stories that shed light on the human condition. Her most recent novel is about rock-and-roll and religion and is called “The Musicians.” Furthermore, she spent time as the owner and editor of the Lisle Village Voice from 2007 to 2010 and a technical editor for Covenant Security in 2012.
Active in her local community as well, Ms. Green was recruited by the local Democratic Party to run as candidate for Illinois Legislative District 48 between 2009 and 2010 in an effort to break the Republican Party stronghold in DuPage County. She has also volunteered regularly in community spaces and is a fundraiser for the Lisle Woman’s Club, where she helps to raise money for scholarships. Previously, she volunteered with the Social Justice & Peace Ministry at the St. Joan of Arc Church and was responsible for helping to set up the annual Oktoberfest fundraiser and making lobbying visits to legislators about social justice issues.
Standing out for her hard work and commitment, Ms. Green has made a name for herself as someone who is good with words and has a great love of the written word. She cites the importance of being open to new opportunities to professional growth and further emphasizes the fact that learning to interact with fellow professionals can help you gain experience in navigating communications with people who have different beliefs and attitudes. Ms. Green hopes to leave a legacy as someone who truly cared about other people.