Barbara Lacina

Barbara Lacina is the regional administrator (RA) for the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in region 7 (Kansas City, Missouri) which includes the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri, as well as nine federally recognized Tribal Nations.

As RA, Barbara represents the ACF Assistant Secretary in working with state, local, and tribal human services leaders to implement ACF programs and policies. She leads ACF’s high-priority, cross-programmatic, and strategic initiatives, working across multiple program areas including family assistance, child support, early childhood education, refugee services, child welfare, and family violence prevention and promotes development of partnerships and activities focusing on economic mobility, equity, whole family safety and well-being, mental health, tribal programs, and youth opportunities. She also works to develop and implement innovative approaches to human services delivery, including whole family approaches and public-private partnerships, sharing best practices and promoting service improvements that are aligned with stakeholder goals for strengthening families, reducing poverty, building economic capacity, and enhancing the social well-being of children, families, and communities.

Barbara began a public service career in 1992, as a child support professional in Iowa, first as a frontline caseworker and then in various management and leadership roles.  In 2010, Barbara began serving the Federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) in Region 7, working directly with states and tribes, assisting multiple Tribal Nations to develop and strengthen their child support programs. In 2015, Barbara became OCSS’s Director for the Division of Program Innovation, overseeing grants, waivers, and national demonstrations in the areas of parent employment, shared parenting time, veteran homelessness, justice-involved parents, and youth education on responsible parenting.   

In 2020, Barbara returned to state service as the Director of the Division of Child Support Enforcement for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barbara ensured that families had continuous and uninterrupted access to child support services; transitioned all staff to fully remote work; introduced digital options to replace in-office operations; and realigned support amounts for parents with reduced or lost income. She expanded and formalized a Family Engagement service model, assisting parents to overcome barriers, connect with needed services, obtain employment, and support their children.  Through her work as a state human services leader, Barbara developed a deep understanding of state agency service delivery challenges and opportunities.

Servant leadership, mission, vision, measurable outcomes, and public stewardship are the hallmarks by which Barbara strives to ensure self-determination, humanity, happiness, dignity, and quality of life for all.