Barbara was born in Levittown, Long Island, New York and was raised in Vermont. Barbara studied acting in high school and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Castleton State College in Vermont where she developed her acting talents with starring roles in "The Crucible," "The Importance of Being Earnest," and "Cabaret." After graduation, Barbara made a brief stop in New York where she appeared as Cordelia in "King Lear" for the American Theater of Actors. From New York, Barbara moved to Los Angeles where she went on to star in the cult suspense features "Re-Animator," "From Beyond" and "Castle Freak." She also has feature roles in the films "Puppetmaster" and "Fraternity Vacation." Barbara made her television debut on the daytime drama "Days of Our Lives," where she played the light-hearted role of Trista Evans. She went on to play the wacky Leanna Love on "The Young and the Restless," which earned her a Soap Opera Digest Award. She also played Melinda Lewis on "Guiding Light" before joining "The Bold and the Beautiful."