Barbara Richardson
Barbara Flavin grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. She earned an
Associate of Arts degree from Colby Junior College, and graduated magna
cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wheaton College.
Bill and Barbara met in Massachusetts when they were attending schools
near each other. They hit it off right away, and have been together
practically ever since. This year they celebrated their 35th wedding
anniversary.
Barbara has lived in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and New York City,
but she considers Santa Fe her home. As First Lady of New Mexico,
Barbara Richardson has worked with multiple organizations in order to
help improve the lives of all New Mexicans.
She has served as Chair for Read Across America in New Mexico and she
helped form the New Mexico Big Brothers/Big Sisters First Lady’s Bowl
for Kids Sake, which has raised more than $150,000 over the past four
years. The First Lady has also served on the Georgia O’Keefe Museum’s
Education Committee. When the Richardsons were living in Washington, D.C.
she was program coordinator for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of
Washington, D.C.
The First Lady also served as Chair of the Governor’s Domestic Violence
Advisory Board, and helped form New Mexico’s Office of Domestic Violence.
Barbara has been especially focused on improving the literacy and
vaccination rates for New Mexico’s children. Mrs. Richardson helped
organize the donation of thousands of children’s books and educational
videos to low-income families across New Mexico, New Mexico elementary
schools and the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital. Barbara
has also served as the Honorary Chair for the New Mexico Immunization
Coalition—her efforts have helped dramatically increase the number of
children in New Mexico who have been fully vaccinated. Despite these
gains, Barbara Richardson, and the whole state of New Mexico, is
committed to reaching or surpassing the Healthy People 2010 goal of 90%
of children receiving their immunizations.
Barbara has used her position as First Lady to work tirelessly for the
people of New Mexico. She has become a fixture around the state on
multiple charitable boards and has worked hard to do all she can for New
Mexico’s families.