Eric Barber

Background

About Eric Barber

Creative Strategist – Music Educator – Program Innovator – Equity & Inclusion Ally – Enrollment Thought Leader I possess 20 years of work in education, focusing on strategic thinking, access and inclusion work, and change management. As Crossroads’ inaugural director of enrollment management, I have designed and implemented a strategic enrollment management (SEM) model which integrates the recruitment, marketing, admission, financial aid, enrollment and retention functions of the school. I am passionate about the health and vitality of independent schools at large. I co-chair the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) Admission Leadership Council, serve on the EMA Admission Training Institute faculty and the EMA Character Task Force. I also co-founded the Seattle admission consortium Puget Sound Independent Schools. Advancement, school finance, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work are significant parts of my background. As Co-Chair of the Crossroads School Equity and Justice Institute Launch Committee, I led the group to refine the vision for the Institute and construct the case statement for prospective donors. The result was $5 million raised in one school year and a fully endowed Institute dedicated to social justice by partnering with community organizations. On the Board of Trustees finance and revenue committees, I’m involved with the key issues of long-term financial planning and developing alternative revenue streams. I’ve also been part of key DEI initiatives at each school, including language access, instituting family support workers, and developing culturally competent recruitment practices.