Jen’s Two Cents.
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About Jen.
Jen Barber, a passionate communicator and community advocate, was born in the Midwest and discovered her love for broadcast news at just 17—launching a lifelong mission to inform, investigate, and inspire through storytelling. Her illustrious 35-year writing career began at KETV in Omaha, Nebraska, where her drive and talent propelled her into the competitive top 10 markets. Barber advanced to become a Consumer Investigations Producer at KPRC in Houston, Texas, before earning a position as the Senior Consumer Investigations Producer at the ABC O&O, KGO-TV in San Francisco, California.
Seeking to be closer to family, Barber transitioned to Denver, Colorado, where she was hired at KMGH-TV to launch the Call7 For Help Consumer Unit. After marrying in the early 2000s, Barber retired from TV news, moved to Arizona, and embraced a new chapter as a stay-at-home mother and community volunteer.
In 2008, Barber led the writing team that secured Goodyear, Arizona’s first All-America City Award. Inspired by this achievement, Barber co-founded the nonprofit Goodyear in A.C.T.I.O.N., paving the way for her appointment to the Goodyear City Council. Opting not to seek re-election, she focused on community activism, championing the construction of a new fire station in Estrella Mountain Ranch and improving resident communication through her company West Valley Families.
Barber served as the Vice Chair of the City of Goodyear’s Water Committee, was appointed to the General Plan Committee, and graduated from Goodyear’s Leadership program known as Goodyear LEAD.
Barber was named the Person of the Year by the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2012, a “Mover and Shaker” by House of Elliott in 2011, and has numerous broadcasting awards from her time in tv news.
In 2014, Barber founded News2JB Creative Services, a communications and marketing company dedicated to helping local businesses share their positive stories. Today, she channels her journalistic expertise into hosting the podcast "Jen and Friends", where she explores city politics, education, AI, and the transformative power of joy.
Barber is a lifelong learner, graduating from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and attending The Fund for American Studies at Georgetown University in the Institutes of Political Journalism. Her passion for asking tough questions and advocating for her community remain the cornerstone of her career.
