Barbara Thomas Executive Director, Communications and Alumni Relations University of Iowa Tippie College of Business Having just celebrated her 20th anniversary with the University of Iowa, Barbara Thomas has worn many different hats in her time as a Hawkeye — ranging from managing alumni donor magazines to overseeing all communication efforts in the Tippie College […]
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Barbara Thomas
Executive Director, Communications and Alumni Relations
University of Iowa Tippie College of Business
Having just celebrated her 20th anniversary with the University of Iowa, Barbara Thomas has worn many different hats in her time as a Hawkeye — ranging from managing alumni donor magazines to overseeing all communication efforts in the Tippie College of Business and offering pathways of professional growth through event planning.
For Ms. Thomas, the name of the game is connecting people in any way that she can so they can make a difference in their own lives.
“It’s invigorating,” she said. “I have great variety in my work and I have the benefit of working with great alumni. I know a lot of the alumni now, so I’m able to bring the right alumni for the right events.”
This is borne out in many different forms. Recently, she has worked with the economics department to bring a panel of UI graduates that have gone on to work for YouTube, Nike and the U.S. State Department back to campus to talk about the advantages of pursuing a career in economics. She also transformed the Tippie Women’s Summit — an annual event she helped develop that brings together students, alumni and community members to encourage and inspire leadership in women — into a pandemic-friendly, month-long series of virtual events.
Ms. Thomas began her career in Chicago working in marketing and public relations for the Chicago Children’s Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art and Victory Gardens Theater. She then moved to Milwaukee and stayed in the theater world before switching industries and becoming a public information specialist for Madison Area Technical College, a school she compares to Kirkwood Community College.
“It’s been very rewarding to work for organizations that have a positive impact on your community, and that’s what all of those organizations have in common,” Ms. Thomas said.
Throughout her career, her work has been recognized with several publication awards, including the APEX Award for Publication Excellence (2014), a National Bronze Award for Individual Special Event from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (2008), a Silver Addy Award from the Advertising Federation of Cedar Rapids (2005), as well as the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Bronze Paragon Award (1998) and Gold Medallion Award (1997).
But the pandemic presented a fresh set of troubles for the Iowa City community outside the university — troubles that she knew she had a unique opportunity to tackle as the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club President, a position she held from July 2020 to June 2021.
“The thing I’m most proud of is that, in presenting my budget to the board, I encouraged them that we dip into our reserves, and we actually gave out $30,000 to area nonprofits that were affected by COVID-19,” she said. Working in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Johnson County, the Rotary Club reviewed 20 different grant applications and then awarded the $30,000 to be split among 12 different organizations.
She also emphasized, in keeping with the Rotarian mission, the importance of volunteerism by organizing highway cleanups, delivering dictionaries to elementary schools, ensuring that 600 lunches were sent to frontline workers and purchasing coats for those in need.
“Barb did a lot to make sure our Rotary Club was making a difference in the community,” said Anna Moyers Stone, board member of the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club. “She could have easily scaled back or panicked, but instead she rolled up her sleeves and found additional ways to be helpful and demonstrate Rotary’s motto of ‘Service Above Self.’”
Her actions and positive spirit convinced Trisha Smith, vice president of marketing and development at United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties, to invite Ms. Thomas to moderate two panels on the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Ms. Smith, she handled the subject matter with “confidence and grace” in a way that allowed reliable information to reach the audience.
“I find Barb to be tirelessly optimistic and constantly thinking of others,” said Ms. Stone. “She is delightful to work with; I will be on any team with Barb. Over the years, I’ve received many messages from her, always asking me ‘What could we do for the arts?’ or ‘Do you think we could mobilize Rotarians to help the schools?’ The true sign of a leader, or influencer, is someone who brings the rest of the community along with her.”
“As a colleague, she truly cares about the organizations that she serves, and brings her best to the office each day,” said Amy Kristoff-Brown, Dean of the Tippie College of Business. “She is creative and inspiring. And if 2020 demonstrated anything, it’s that Barb is able to pivot, think on her feet, and meet her goals in ways that surpass all reasonable expectations. The Corridor is a better place because of her talents.”
