Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler '80

2009 Distinguished Alumna Award for Community Service

Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler's Carroll experience helped introduce and shape her lifelong commitment to social justice. Originally a pre-med student, she was inspired by the Gospels in a class taught by Dr. Lamar Cope, professor emeritus of religion and philosophy, which motivated her to change her majors to religious studies and German.

After graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1980, she followed the call to ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, and earned a Master's of divinity degree in 1983. She then attended the University of Chicago, earning a Master's degree in social work in 1985.

Horner-Ibler was active in social justice ministry for 10 years, but was compelled to return to medicine. She earned a medical doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and was a resident physician at Aurora-Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wis.

From her experience working with low-income families and patients from underinsured or uninsured backgrounds, Barbara was inspired to found the Bread of Healing Clinic. This free clinic, located at Cross Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, provides services for individuals who do not have health insurance. Since the original clinic opened in 1999, three other sites have been established, to treat about 400 patients per month and provide health and wellness education programs. Horner-Ibler is currently the medical director.

In recognition of her work with the clinic, Horner-Ibler was invited to speak at Carroll for a medical humanities forum in fall 2007, and received the 2005 Milwaukee Medical Society Community Service Award.  She has also been recognized for her teaching at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Milwaukee, in 2002 and 2005.

Horner-Ibler and husband John '81 have two sons, David and Michael, and live in Brookfield, Wis.