Biography
Deb Barber lives in Shakopee and represents District 4, which includes, in Carver County, the cities of Carver, Chaska, Cologne, Hamburg, Mayer, New Germany, Norwood Young America, Victoria, Waconia, and Watertown; and the townships of Benton, Camden, Dahlgren, Hancock, Hollywood, Laketown, San Francisco, Waconia, Watertown, and Young America; in Scott County, the cities of Belle Plaine, Elko New Market, Jordan, Prior Lake, and Shakopee; and the townships of Belle Plaine, Blakeley, Cedar Lake, Credit River, Helena, Jackson, Louisville, New Market, St. Lawrence, Sand Creek, and Spring Lake.
Barber brings an extensive record of community involvement to the Metropolitan Council. Since moving to Shakopee several years ago, she served multiple terms as the chair of the Scott County Human Services Resource Council, which develops and makes recommendations to the Scott County Board on human services programs, needs, and priorities. She also served as vice chair of the Shakopee Economic Development Advisory Committee, as well as a member of other community advisory boards.
Barber is co-founder and senior partner of Canopy Medical LLC. She specializes in strategic planning and project management.
Originally from Embarrass on Minnesota’s Iron Range, she’s excited to support the Walz Administration’s vision of One Minnesota as a Council member, serving a diverse district of both rural and developed communities.
During her tenure, she has served on several Council committees including the Metro Mobility Task Force and the Equity Advisory Committee, and was recently appointed to serve as chair of the Transportation Committee and serve as liaison to the Transportation Advisory Board.
She says that transportation is central to all the Council’s work – it’s crucial to the region’s success. She also notes the connection between transportation and the other regional systems to support community prosperity.
“Good education, a prosperous economy and workforce, and healthy communities don’t happen in silos. The success of communities and people relies on the success of the region,” Barber said.
Barber said she’ll focus on assuring the right voices are included in Council decision-making and additional work that needs to be done toward addressing equity. She noted the importance of intergovernmental collaboration — particularly with tribal communities and her work with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in District 4 — and her work with the Shakopee Diversity Alliance. She hopes to use this second term as a Council member to support these important conversations region-wide.
“We are stronger when working together as a region,” Barber said. “We need to listen and foster discussions to align people with diverse backgrounds and shared goals.”
Barber has a bachelor’s degree in biomechanics and a master’s degree in engineering mechanics, both from Montana State University. She lives in Shakopee with her husband, Chip, and two sons.