Barbara Langley

Director, Center for Women's Economic Empowerment

Barbara Langley serves as Director for CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment, democratizing opportunity for women by fostering ecosystems for entrepreneurship. In this capacity, she leads CIPE’s strategy to amplify the voice of the private sector through women’s equal participation in free markets and democratic institutions. Throughout her career, Langley has conducted campaign management, communications, coalition building, issues advocacy, good governance and accountability, leadership and strategic planning programs for democratic political and civic activists, business leaders, local elected officials and parliamentary and campaign staff. She has worked extensively with marginalized sectors of society including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Prior to her position at CIPE, Langley served for nearly 20 years at the International Republican Institute (IRI), holding temporary and long-term postings in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, Mongolia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Washington, DC. She also held senior management positions as Executive Director for IRI’s Arab Women’s Leadership Program, Deputy Director for the Institute’s Middle East and North Africa Division, and Deputy Director for IRI’s Women’s Democracy Network.

Langley has also observed national and local elections in 11 countries in Asia, Eurasia, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa.

In addition to her experience in the democracy and governance field, Langley served in the Administration of President George W. Bush as Confidential Assistant in the Office of the Director of the U.S. Peace Corps. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian and International Studies in 1996 from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and successfully completed the American University’s Campaign Management School in May 2000. Langley is currently completing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management (IOM).