Ms. Barnes grew up in upstate New York and earned a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education at SUNY Geneseo. She earned a Masters Degree in Elementary Reading and Language Arts from Walden University and an Educational Specialist Degree in Brain Based Learning and Instructional Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. She also completed graduate studies at Elmira College and Hofstra University in New York. Ms. Barnes has been teaching for 12 years. She taught kindergarten for four years in Broward County, Florida and eight years at Norcross Elementary School in Norcross, Georgia.

Ms. Barnes has one son who resides in California where he works as a storyboard artist.