As we celebrate Barker’s 75 years of service to the adoption community and collective legacy of building and supporting families, we are honoring three women who have had an extraordinary and transformational impact on Barker over the past three decades.
Meet Marilyn Regier
Marilyn served as Barker’s CEO for 15 years (2002-2017), capping a 40-year career that included previous adoption work with The Children’s Bureau of Indianapolis and Adoption Service Information Agency (ASIA). Under Dr. Regier’s leadership, Barker added Korean and Chinese adoption programs to its international offerings; Project Wait No Longer for older foster youth to respond to a national need; the Colombian Homeland Tour; development of a Post-Adoption Department; concerted outreach to communities of color in the domestic adoption program; website development; and of major importance, the Legacy II Endowment campaign.
With degrees from Valparaiso University, Indiana University, and Brandeis University, Dr. Regier was a Past President of the Maryland Coalition of Adoption Agencies, gave Congressional briefings, and testified before the Maryland State Legislature and DC City Council. Marilyn and her husband, Darrel, are the parents of four adult children, two of whom joined the family by adoption through Barker. Upon retirement, Marilyn returned to her second career in classical music (piano, pipe organ, children’s choirs). Nothing, however, brings her greater joy than her twelve grandchildren.
Join us in celebrating Barker's legacy and honoring Marilyn's contribution to the Barker community on Saturday, May 2 at La Maison Française at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C., for The Barker Adoption Foundation 75th Anniversary Benefit Gala. Learn more here.