Anita Barker Position: Director of Athletics Institution: California State University Chico

Courtesy of California State University Chico

Anita Barker is in her seventh year as the athletic director for the University's 13 intercollegiate athletics teams. Barker has successfully worked to build on the prior success of the program and continues to focus on improving the department's fund raising and marketing efforts to offer more athletic grant-in-aid to deserving student-athletes.

During the 2007-08 school year, Barker helped direct the athletic department to its fifth straight top 25 finish in the U.S. Sports Academy Division II Directors' Cup, which measures the overall success of the more than 280 Division II athletic programs in the United States. It was the sixth time in the last seven years the Wildcats have finished in the top 25. The Wildcats finished in the top ten in 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06.

A priority of Barker's is to continue to improve the student-athlete experience at Chico State, and that is being accomplished through a focus on the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and the implementation of fall kickoff and spring wrap up barbecues to thank all the athletes who give so much to the University.

Prior to her current position, Barker served as the University's associate athletic director alongside athletic director Don Batie, who held the position for seven years. As associate athletic director, Barker served as the senior women's administrator, supervised staff, and developed departmental policy and procedures, among numerous other duties. Barker has worked in the athletic department since 1990, when she was hired as the assistant athletic trainer. She began working in athletic administration in 1995, when she was appointed the assistant athletic director and senior women's administrator. In 1997, she was promoted to associate athletic director.

Barker graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1985 and received her master's from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1987. She has worked at all three divisions in the NCAA.

Barker and her husband, Scott, the head athletic trainer at Chico State, have two children, Luke - 16 and McKena - 12.