Kim Barber

Candidate for City Council Member, Monterey, District 1 · Monterey City Councilmember

Kim Barber holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Social Change from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati and a master's degree in International Business from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She is Director of Pre-College and Early Outreach Support Programs at California State University, Monterey Bay, where she has produced conferences, workshops and meetings for middle and high school students as well as university freshmen and sophomores focused on closing the achievement gap and preparing students for college. She has more than 15 years of experience providing diversity, equity and inclusion training to companies, educational institutions and nonprofits, and spent nearly three years volunteering with the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel, one of ten regional associations supporting educational opportunities for low-income, first-generation and disabled students. She was elected unopposed to Monterey's District 1 council seat in November 2022, becoming the first African American woman to serve on the Monterey City Council, and currently serves as Vice Mayor.

Barber's six stated priorities are affordable and equitable housing; smarter, more efficient city processes; sustainable and inclusive growth; water and environmental stewardship; community engagement and inclusion; and access to affordable healthcare. Her campaign describes her vision as rooted in the belief that every person in the community deserves the opportunity to live, grow and thrive, with an emphasis on practical solutions, thoughtful leadership, and making sure every voice is heard.

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