Barbara Twardus served 25 years as an administrator, including 23 years as an athletic director within the Seattle School District. She was a member of the WIAA Executive Board for 10 years, serving as president in 1986-87, and participated on the WIAA Representative Assembly. In 1985, she served as president of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Barbara was a past president of the Washington Secondary School Athletic Administrators Association and contributed to numerous WIAA committees. She directed the Metro League for 14 years, managing and organizing tournaments across most sports. In 1976, she served on the Title IX Compliance Steering Committee and authored articles and presentations on athletic safety, women’s athletics, and the purpose of interscholastic programs. She was widely regarded as a model athletic director and was at the forefront of legal and safety issues, including football helmet construction and equality for girls in sports.

Barbara was inducted into the WSSAAA Hall of Fame and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Hall of Fame. She received the NIAAA Award of Merit, the association’s highest honor, and a NFHS Citation for athletic directors in 1978.