Barbara Leff is the State Senator from District 11. She is currently in her fourth term. Barbara is the Chairman for the Commerce Committee and the Ethics Committee. She is also a member of the Health and Finance Committees.

Barbara has her Bachelor's Degree from Boston University from which she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She has a Master's Degree in Social Work from Simmons College.

Barbara's work experience includes being a Medical and Psychiatric Social Worker for the Veteran's Administration, a Certified Community College Instructor for the Maricopa County Community College System and the owner of a small retail sporting goods business in Scottsdale. Barbara also has years of experience in the volunteer sector including running a program that resettled Russian Refugees in the Valley. Barbara's focus was to create and run a program that would keep people off welfare and help them to be successfully employed and therefore, self sufficient. Barbara's work and volunteer experiences led her to the world of politics. She volunteered on Jon Kyl's first campaign for the United States Senate. Barbara spent many hours working on his behalf.

Barbara has been married to Dr. Edmund Leff for thirty-three years. They have two children. The Leffs have lived in Paradise Valley for twenty-three years.

Barbara’s legislative achievements include sponsorship of the sweeping HMO Reform legislation that enables people to receive the health care they need. In addition, Barbara sponsored legislation that requires the State to mail information pamphlets on ballot initiatives directly to voters’ homes. Now voters receive the information needed to cast informed votes. Barbara also sponsored legislation making Arizona the leader in cancer drug research. This law speeds up the time it takes to get drugs to patients who need them by allowing all phases of testing required by the FDA to be conducted in Arizona.

Barbara recently received the “2000 Legislator of the Year” Award from the National Republican Legislators Association for her work on critical issues. Barbara has a keen interest in making sure that Arizona has a strong economy. She is the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Arizona’s Business Climate; served on the Governor’s Arizona Partnership for the New Economy and has been appointed to the Governor’s Leadership Council which is charged with evaluating Arizona’s economy.

Barbara’s legislative priorities include making sure that Arizona is the best State in the country in which to do business; encouraging job growth, promoting fiscal accountability in government and preserving quality health care. Barbara supports a strong public education system that is fully funded and in which the focus is on the classroom.