Didi Barrett is a longtime leader of not-for-profit organizations that provide services and advocacy on behalf of youth, women and families. She is a seasoned and accomplished coalition builder, strategist and planner. Didi spearheaded the creation of the Dutchess Girls Collaborative, an alliance of local programs, supporters and providers that address the needs of young women. She helped launch and is a board member of the North East Dutchess Fund (NED) of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, focusing on allocating funds to improve life in the six towns of northeastern Dutchess County. She helped create the pioneering NED Corps program, with Dutchess Community Action Partnership, to deliver greatly needed social services to this rural region and serves on the Latino Roundtable for the region.
A homeowner in Millbrook for 23 years, Didi is a longtime community activist. Firmly committed to the importance and power of public education, she serves as a board member of the Millbrook Education Foundation, which supports local public schools, as well as the Anderson Foundation for Autism. Responsive to local needs, she has twice served as coordinator of Millbrook’s Community Day.
During her recent New York State Senate campaign, Didi spoke passionately about the agricultural, natural, and cultural resources of the Hudson Valley and their critical importance as economic engines. She is a member of the advisory boards for Poughkeepsie Plenty, a food justice project; the Poughkeepsie Farmer’s Market alliance with Walkway Over the Hudson; and SEED (Smart Eating Every Day), a healthy lifestyle project for children and families tailored to rural communities.
The founder of several thriving not-for-profits, now serving tens of thousands of people, Didi has extensive experience in building organizations, monitoring budgets and positioning these groups for growth. As the founding chair of Girls Inc. of New York, which helps young women realize their value and potential, she skillfully used strategic planning, budgeting and development as tools for growth. Didi also helped establish the trailblazing New York Women’s Foundation and made decisions on funding grants to grassroots community groups that serve women and girls.
Didi Barrett’s family has deep roots in the Hudson Valley, and has a long involvement with Dutchess and Columbia counties. In 1938 her grandfather and great-uncle bought a farm in Ancramdale, which still remains in the family. Didi’s husband, David Barrett, grew up in the Hudson Valley town of Middletown. The couple has two children, Alec and Annabel.
Didi knows firsthand the power and potential of the arts in economic development. She gained in-depth experience and insight during two decades at the American Folk Art Museum – serving as its publications director, founder of the Contemporary Center, and Trustee — as well as through working to build up Poughkeepsie’s Half Moon Theatre company as an organizational consultant.
Didi is often called on for leadership and expertise. Her other affiliations have included Planned Parenthood of NYC, the Women’s Campaign Forum and NARAL Pro-Choice New York (board member); the American Folk Art Museum (trustee emeritus).
Earlier, as a journalist writing for The New York Times, Boston Globe and other media, Didi analyzed in depth issues of parenting, the elderly and women entrepreneurs. A good listener, she took into account all points of view before arriving at a conclusion. She applies this intelligence and innate common sense to whatever work she undertakes.
She earned a bachelor of arts in Speech Communications at the University of California at Los Angeles, and a master of arts in Folk Art Studies at New York University. Didi also took part in the Executive Education Program on Governing for Non-Profit Excellence at the Harvard Business School.
