Barbara Collura

Barbara Collura is a seasoned attorney and public policy advocate with more than three decades of experience in New York State government, municipal law, and nonpartisan political reform. She is a thought leader on third-party viability and structural electoral reform.

Barbara most recently led the New York Planning Federation as Executive Director, guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic before stepping down in 2022. Earlier in her career, she served as Counsel to the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, advising city and village mayors across the state, and held roles as Counsel to the Albany Common Council, Deputy Counsel to the Majority Leader of the Albany County Legislature, and Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Schenectady.

Since 2018, Barbara has worked to build a viable third political party in New York. She previously served as State Vice-Chair of the Serve America Movement and a State Lead for the Forward Party, and currently serves as a District Leader, member of the national Writing Team for the No Labels Movement, a!cend member of Independent Vo!ce.

A prolific writer, Barbara has published more than 100 handbooks and articles in municipal journals, bar association newsletters, and blog posts. She is a past President of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section and has served on the NYSBA Committee on Legislative Policy and House of Delegates. She is also a Mayo Clinic WomenHeart Champion, board member of the American Heart Association's Circle of Red Society, and national ambassador to the Family Heart Foundation.

Barbara graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and earned her law degree from Albany Law School.