Barbra Coffee serves as Director of Economic Initiatives for the City of Tucson, AZ. She is responsible for the city’s economic development strategy, which includes local business retention and expansion programs, business attraction, small business and entrepreneurial development and business ombudsman activities. Her division is also responsible for annexations and the economic development and workforce grants program.

Before starting with the city in February, 2019, Barbra was the Director of Economic Development & Tourism for the City of Henderson, NV. She led the city’s strategic recruitments of companies like Turano Baking, Progress Rail, Barclays, and the Raiders NFL franchise. Under her leadership the city created the urban-most drone test facility in the U.S., Henderson Unmanned Vehicle Range (HUVR), and launched entrepreneurial programs such as the Water Street Rall-E and Henderson Start Tank. Prior to Henderson, Barbra served as Economic Development Director for the City of College Park, GA. There she oversaw the development of more than 200 acres of city-owned property and coordinated the activities of the College Park Business and Industrial Development Authority, focusing many of her efforts on downtown redevelopment and corridor revitalization. From 2003-2009, Barbra coordinated and implemented several different economic development and redevelopment strategies for the city of Goodyear, AZ. As Senior Development Manager for Goodyear’s Economic Development department, she coordinated business recruitment and marketing efforts for the city. Barbra started her career as a Texas Main Street Manager directing revitalization efforts in downtown Houston and Marlin, TX.

Barbra currently sits on the Board of Directors for International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and actively participates in organizations that focus on key aspects of economic development. She has served as Georgia State Alliance Co-Chair for the International Council of Shopping Centers from 2011-2013. In addition, she is a member of NAIOP, CoreNet Global and the Arizona Association of Economic Development. She was a founding member of the Nevada Economic Development Association.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990, followed by a Master of Liberal Arts in International Studies from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. In 2008, she earned her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation from the International Economic Development Council and attained her Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) credential from the National Development Council in 2012.