The Filters We Carry
Barbara, a Japanese-American daughter of a theologian father and an occupational therapist mother who excelled at “making people better,” was programmed to be calm, compliant, and contained. Difficult for an exceptionally bright child with undiagnosed ADHD and a mind that leapt from idea to idea. She survived by creating a rich and intense landscape, transforming cardboard into swords and building entire towns with matchbox cars and intricate road systems.
She viewed her imaginary world from thirty thousand feet, complete with utilities and workflows, connecting the dots that others couldn’t see. School and home had little patience for this restless, creative mind. “Be calm. Sit still. Stop interrupting.” Messaging absorbed, she learned to channel her brilliance inward until she went to college.
Barbara’s need to see the big picture and her interest in infrastructure led her to the emerging discipline of environmental studies. Determined to be fully informed, she earned degrees in Geology, Mechanical Engineering, and Public Policy. Barbara began her career as one of the few women—let alone Asian-American women—working at the intersection of water and policy.
When Your Voice Gets Relegated to the Restroom
Soon, Barbara became a subject-matter expert on wastewater treatment at the individual household level and the project manager of a $5 million federally funded groundwater protection project in Oregon. She was one of a handful of pioneer women attending national environmental conferences, having their most meaningful discussions in the women’s restroom. Recognized for her expertise on the national stage but overlooked at her job, Barbara was forced to watch less-qualified men get promoted and learned that speaking up was seen as an act of rebellion. During the peak of the "tea party" era, she presented research on high nitrates in drinking water causing bladder cancer and miscarriages, only to have public officials nod in private meetings, then dismiss her findings as "fake news" at public hearings. The Great Recession pushed Barbara out of her job, and after seventeen months of unemployment, she finally got hired as a project manager for a small software company. She endured six more years in a toxic, male-dominated workplace that used emotional intelligence testing as a weapon. She was relieved when she received her pink slip and vowed to work for herself. "No more lids on me.” But what would her business be? She could go back to project management or wastewater consulting. She had the credentials, the experience, and the expertise. Then she started to reflect: "What do I need to do for me?"
From Introvert to Award-Winning Narrator
Barbara reflected on what she loved most in her past jobs (public speaking gigs totally jazzed her out) and remembered that six years previously, she really enjoyed a one-night voice-over class. She realized that her years of learning to interpret, feel, and connect with material on a deeper level were transferable. She could become a voice actor. The voice acting industry has evolved to where she can work entirely from her home studio. Wanting to understand the big picture, Barbara learned the complete process needed to produce the best possible product: recording, editing, mastering, producing, publishing. She began with any voice work she could win—commercials, e-learning modules (voicing math and English software for classrooms), explainer videos. But as synthetic AI voices started to take over those markets, Barbara made a decisive shift to the one thing AI couldn't imitate: authentic human acting. Today, Barbara has recorded over 80 audiobooks, including The Magic of Yes. She doesn’t just read stories—she embodies them. She takes words off the page and fills them with emotion, nuance, and truth. Her voice bridges the gap—between story and listener, truth and heart.
Barbara's D.R.E.A.M.
Desire:I want to leave a legacy by producing an experience where the listener takes the journey through the audiobook with me.
Reflect:I am replacing my sense of self with the authentic voice and emotions of the character and material I portray.
Explore:I will explore the deep, dark recesses of my voice actor self that stretch me in unexpected ways.
Acknowledge:I am a professional voice actor. I belong here. I am not an imposter.
Mantra:"I am enough!"
Barbara Rich spent decades having her voice dismissed, diminished, and relegated to the margins and restrooms. Today, her voice is her livelihood, her legacy, and her superpower. She discovered that the lid others tried to put on her couldn't contain what she had to offer—once she claimed it for herself.
Your voice matters. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
