Barbra Solberg earned a BA in political science from the University of Iowa in 1995. She spent over a decade in federal government, serving as a Special Assistant at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President George W. Bush and on Capitol Hill as a senior advisor to Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle. In both positions, her work focused on policy development and strategic communications across areas such as economic policy, workforce development, national security, and government operations. 

After her time in Washington, D.C., Solberg returned to her native Cedar Rapids, where she now serves as Public Policy Strategist for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on the economic growth of the region. There, she leads initiatives to amplify the voices of local businesses at all levels of government. She is recognized as a U.S. Chamber Business Leads Fellow. 

Active in her community, Solberg volunteers with organizations including the Downtown Farmers Market, Junior Achievement, Iowa Women’s Foundation, the Catherine McAuley Refugee & Immigration Center, and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. In her free time, she enjoys historical fiction, lively debates, and time with her husband, two sons, their dog, Loki, and extended family at their cabins on the Mississippi River in Northeast Iowa.