Alumni Hall of Fame
Academic / Professional Achievement (2025)

For five decades, Barbara Poppe has been a relentless advocate, activist, and leader in the fight to end homelessness in the United States. Her unwavering commitment, from her early days as a protester in the streets of Cincinnati to her leadership of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, is a testament to her resilience and determination. Barbara’s legacy is one of finding solutions to homelessness that seem insurmountable to others. Her peers and colleagues describe her as brilliant, and “years ahead” of others in the field, as well as having a work ethic to match.

Barbara was born in Columbus but raised in St. Marys, Ohio, where she grew up as the oldest child of renowned local attorney, John A. Poppe, and educator, Beverly R. Poppe. She graduated from St. Marys Memorial High School in 1977 where she excelled at science courses, inspired in part by her Chemistry teacher, Mr. Cramer. She was active in clubs, band, and sports, and describes an “idyllic” education at Memorial High School. She was fixated on attending a women’s college, and her father wanted her to stay in the midwest, so she chose William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri. It was a small town that reminded her of St. Marys and made her feel comfortable. The college opened to men her Junior year. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Woods in 1981 and was accepted into the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine that same year.

Moving to Cincinnati proved to be a culture shock after growing up in rural Ohio and attending a small women’s college in Missouri. After her third year of clinical rotations, she decided to connect with the sisters of charity and with a pastor who had an intercity social justice ministry. She volunteered at Camp Washington and in Over-The-Rhine and was reminded of her German roots and the feeling of being connected to a neighborhood. She started exploring what her values were and decided she wanted to finish her degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and focus on public health.

During her third year of Medical School, she was doing a pediatric rotation and was confronted by a small child who had been diagnosed as failure to thrive. When Barb delved deeper, she discovered the parents lived in their car. At that moment, Barb realized that the medical crisis was precipitated by the homeless crisis, and the child was not getting her basic needs met.

This, she said, “blew my mind.” How could this happen in a country of such abundance? Barb connected with the local Jesuits, Franciscans and Catholics who helped her understand that homelessness was a structural issue. The scope of the problem was caused by policy choices and, as such, she believed they could be fixed by policy choices. This motivated her to look at what could change those policies to make sure everyone had a safe place to live. Her research, scientific background, and personal background led her to develop a holistic approach to homelessness, i.e., making a difference by looking at the whole circumstances and not just isolated parts.

From this experience, she came to the following conclusion: In a community working together, everyone should be able to thrive if we provide support and meet their needs. At its core, homeless people need a place to live, and this basic need should be available to everyone. Barb said, “We as a community caring for each other should have an obligation to follow what we learned in church.”

Barb completed a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology in 1987 from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She lived in community with women and children in Cincinnati who were experiencing homelessness. This led her to become one of the founding members of Bethany House Services. Barbara's leadership roles with non-profit organizations, including the formation of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition in 1984, left a lasting impact on Cincinnati. She developed a unique perspective that blended her scientific and medical background with first-hand knowledge and experience from her outreach and advocacy efforts. She said that this experience helped solidify three core values: compassion, treating every person with dignity and respect, and advancing proven strategies based on science.

From 1990–2009, Barbara served first as the Executive Director of Homeless, Inc., and then as Executive Director of the Community Shelter Board, both based in Columbus, Ohio. Barbara drew upon her public health training and scientific background to use “whole person” and data-driven approaches to end homelessness by providing a continuum of care and housing support. Her contemporaries describe her as a passionate visionary, noting that her approach to addressing homelessness was years ahead of her time. She has a deep knowledge of the human and systemic aspects of homelessness, as well as a tireless work ethic.

In 2009, Barb received a phone call that would change her life. The Domestic Policy Council, the principal forum used by the President of the United States for consideration of domestic policy matters and senior policymaking, reached out to Barb about submitting an application to work in President Barack Obama’s Administration. Shaun Donovoan, the Secretary for Housing and Urban Development at that time, wanted to do something about homelessness in America and wanted Barb to lead the charge, and to “go for the moon.” Though she did not have government experience, Barb was intrigued by the enthusiasm and support for addressing issues important to her, and she accepted the position as Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. In 2009, President Obama signed several pieces of legislation that addressed the homelessness crisis including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In this bill, $1.5 billion was allocated to HUD for “Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program” to assist people to escape homelessness. In addition, President Obama signed the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act which reauthorized homeless assistance programs.

Barb was given a mandate to develop a comprehensive proposal to prevent and end homelessness. As Executive Director, Barb worked with nineteen federal agencies and four Cabinet secretaries including the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was crucial that all Cabinet Secretaries and departments be aligned and work together, and she received strong bipartisan support on a plan that would get veterans off the street and into a shelter to address their issues. In June 2010, she presented a comprehensive proposal, called “Opening Doors,” to the President and Congress in a White House ceremony. The plan was met with approval and enthusiasm. The federal government launched Opening Doors in 2011, establishing a ten-year path to prevent and end all types of homelessness. The plan led to a reduction in homelessness among veterans by more than half.

Barbara left the Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2014 to establish Barbara Poppe and Associates, an independent consulting group. There, she collaborates with national, state, and local organizations, as well as governmental agencies and the corporate/business sectors, to address homelessness. Focus areas included strategic planning, program design, evaluation, and research. She has worked with numerous foundations, including the Bezos Day One Fund, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and the Schultz Family Foundation, as well as with organizations in South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Washington, Ohio, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Maryland, among others. She has served on the boards of Enterprise Community Partners, a national housing and community development organization; the National Alliance to End Homelessness; and the Center for Evidence-Based Solutions to Homelessness. Barbara also authored numerous articles and policy reports advocating for human-centered solutions to unsheltered homelessness, preventing homelessness, and reducing infant mortality by improving housing stability. Her activism continues, protesting in 2024 at the United States Supreme Court against punitive measures affecting homeless individuals. To recognize her leadership in reducing homelessness among veterans, in 2014, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs awarded her a

Certificate of Appreciation, and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans presented her with the 2011 Meritorious Service Award. Her advocacy efforts were recognized by “Back on My Feet” with the 2012 Going the Distance Award and by The National Coalition for the Homeless with the 2004 Buddy Gray Award. Her local leadership accolades in Columbus include the 2010 Mel Schottenstein Leadership Award from the Community Shelter Board, the 2006 YWCA Woman of Achievement award, and the Honda Equal Opportunity Community Service Award from the Columbus Urban League in 2005.

For her selfless service and dedication over five decades advocating on behalf of the rights of and solutions to ending homelessness, including service at the highest level of the federal government, and for developing the first-ever comprehensive federal plan to prevent and end homelessness, Barbara Poppe is inducted into the St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame for Academic or Professional Achievement.