2026 Excellence in the Public Sector Awardee, Barbara Potts!
Congratulations to Ms. Barbara Potts, Neighborhood Improvement Specialist for the City of St. Louis, and recipient of our 2026 Excellence in the Public Sector Award!
The Excellence in the Public Sector Award recognizes an individual, government, quasi-government agency, or tax-supported entity that:
Develops or protects policy that supports investment in communities.
Demonstrates innovative use of resources for community improvement.
Is proactive, persistent, professional, and efficient in finding ways to support community building initiatives.
“Everyone as a human deserves to be treated with respect”
Barbara Potts has committed decades of her life to serving her community, building bridges, and maintaining strong relationships with local government and residents. In the early 1990s, she noticed a vacant property in her neighborhood with drug activity and other crimes. There were shootings and stabbings, and as a young mother, Barb wanted to do something about it. She coordinated with the police department to increase their presence and began reaching out to neighbors to support her efforts. She shared that the Sheriff would come by every day to eat his lunch in front of the vacant house. Nearly 70 neighbors joined her, and together they were able to shut down the property and create a safer environment. This is just one example of the care for community and persistence that Barb embodies.
“We do everything, honestly. We’re the problem solvers of the neighborhood”
As a Neighborhood Improvement Specialist (NIS), Barb identifies and addresses issues and connects people with the right resources. From older residents to police to neighborhood groups, Barb serves as a liaison to ensure community concerns are addressed in a timely and considerate way. In her work, “no two days are alike,” but she absolutely loves what she gets to do. In her role, she is hearing from residents, helping them submit inquiries, and communicating with business owners and city departments to get solutions that benefit the people. As an NIS, she services the Benton Park West, Fox Park, The Greater Ville, and The Ville neighborhoods.
“In that moment, I realized come hell or high water, they’re going to make it”
When the May 2025 tornado struck North City and other historically disinvested communities, Barb was devastated. However, within just 20 minutes of the tornado, neighbors were in the streets with chainsaws, trash bags, and water bottles, clearing debris, helping seniors, and checking on one another. Barb witnessed the resilience and power in her community. In coordination with the tornado response, Barb volunteered with the Disaster Recovery Center, helping connect residents to resources and transportation to safe housing.
In her role, she remains proactive, persistent, and creative in solving problems. When she noticed an empty home with an open garage that posed a fire risk, she jumped through dozens of hoops and bureaucratic red tape to ultimately get the garage door closed. Through her efforts, the owner was notified and able to secure it, preventing potential harm to surrounding homes.
Barb is well-known in her community, residents know they can call her, and she will show up. Whether it’s a fire at 2am, tornado disaster relief, or support in submitting a service request, Barb is there. She is unwavering in her commitment and serves as a trusted bridge between residents and local government. Barb was “honored and humbled” to receive this award. She emphasized how vital respect is to building relationships. To succeed in this role, she emphasized the need to treat every person with the dignity and care that all humans deserve.
We hope you can join us to celebrate community builders like Barbara Potts at our 14th Annual Community Development Family Reunion event on April 23, 2026!
🎟️Buy tickets Here
