Barbara, an accomplished solo practitioner in Houston, is Board Certified in family law. She has vast experience working with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in national and state-level leadership roles. 
 
She was the first female member of the Texas Tech Law School Foundation's Board of Trustees and also its first and only female president. Barbara is the longest-serving Board member, going back to 1983. She is one of only three alumni in the Law School's history to be awarded both the Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Distinguished Service Award. 
 
Barbara's generosity is evident in her charitable contributions. With her late husband, Rusty Howard, she endowed two scholarships– the Runge/Howard Endowed Presidential Scholarship to help students with limited financial resources and another named in honor of the late Judge Bob Robertson and his wife. Robertson was a family law district judge in Harris County. 
 
Barbara's philanthropic journey began in 1972 with a $5 gift to the Drew Simpson Memorial Fund. Her consistent support has made her the Law School's longest-consistent donor. You can read more about Barbara and The Power of Consistent Giving in the 2019 issue of the Texas Tech Lawyer.

Endowments