Barbara Van Driel was a Special Agent in the FBI from February 1983 to May 1991. She worked primarily in the area of Counterintelligence, electing to study the Russian language in order to focus on investigative matters pertaining to the former Soviet Union. Subsequent to her time with the Bureau, she traveled extensively to Russia and Ukraine where she enjoyed the various peoples and cultures of that vast region.

After a somewhat protracted, self-directed sabbatical of sorts, Barbara embarked on a ten-year career in medicine: managing a medical practice; working in critical care in a hospital setting; and caring for the chronically and critically ill in their homes. This work was immensely fulfilling, allowing her to express her ethic of care and compassion for others.

Over the past ten years, Barbara has become an entrepreneur and has returned to studying classical piano. She travels widely, both domestically and overseas, and splits her time betweenSan Diego, Chicago, Palm Springs, and rural Wyoming.