Barbara J. French is a seasoned communications professional whose career has spanned journalism, public relations, issues and crisis management, and public affairs. Barbara joined Brazer Communications in 2020 to serve health care and biotech clients, and those facing challenging issues with their stakeholders. She also has expertise in brand management, executive communications and public affairs.

Most recently, Barbara was Vice Chancellor, University Relations and Strategic Communications, at UC San Francisco (UCSF), providing high-level counsel to executives and faculty leadership in support of the strategic priorities of the $7.5 billion health sciences campus. Barbara was charged with developing, implementing, and tracking communications and advocacy programs during a time of accelerated growth and expansion for UCSF, as well as at a time of unparalleled change in health care. Her responsibilities included brand communication, public relations, crisis communications, digital communications, government affairs, and community relations in support of the university’s top-ranked research and clinical enterprise as well as its academic operations. In addition, her team was closely aligned with UCSF’s development and fundraising programs as well as its real estate efforts. Barbara served on the Chancellor’s Executive Team and the Chancellor’s Cabine as well as the chancellor-appointed committees. She provided counsel to the UCSF Board of Overseers, which supports the university’s advancing health worldwide mission by raising philanthropic funds, and worked in collaboration with the University of California Office of the President. Barbara held leadership positions at UCSF for 15 years and her team won numerous awards for their work.

Prior to joining UCSF, Barbara created and managed her own San Francisco-based communications and public affairs consulting firm, Reputation LLC, which served a variety of clients including non-profit organizations and development firms. Reputation LLC was twice recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Bay Area’s fastest-growing small companies. She previously held a senior management role at an independent public affairs firm, also based in San Francisco, and co-led its healthcare practice. Earlier, Barbara was a newspaper editor and reporter at prominent dailies, covering politics and business.

Barbara is a Bay Area native and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from San Jose State University. She was a fellow in the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism at Columbia University.