Founders
Paul Barker
Paul, president, secretary, and treasurer, is a professional English professor and trainer with over 30 years of experience in education and management in the UK, Australia, and Europe in the private, academic, corporate, and government sectors. He is passionate about helping believers connect their faith to culture in a transformative way, focusing on restoring dignity to Biblical-based ministry.
This work included setting up fashion agencies, cultural exchange centers, and private language schools, managing language departments on nine university campuses, teacher training, producing curriculum, assessment, and examinations with Cambridge University, and lecturing in business administration, direct marketing, public relations, and global management, as a professor at the European School of Economics in Rome.
As an entrepreneur, he has started up many projects such as a cultural exchange club, a graphic design agency, an import/export agency from India to Australia, and the export of pottery and silk garment from Australia to the USA for an Aboriginal company. He had photos published in New Horizons magazine, managed a 3,000-acre sheep breeding and wheat farm, successfully introduced pigs and native birds to the livestock program, and lupins and pistachio nuts to the crop program.
He worked as an English teacher and language school director in London and Rome, where he introduced six languages to 9 campuses and lectured in global marketing management, sales and direct marketing, media and public communication at the European School of Economics, and recently in the USA became an IT technician and software trainer and stock market day, trader.
He also gave cross-cultural workplace and human resource management seminars, successful presentations, effective negotiation, media, and strategic development at international corporations and government departments in Europe. He established and operated import/export, graphics, fashion, and music agencies in Australia. He has done all sound recordings, writing, pictures, and layout work on the Living Words books.
He has traveled extensively throughout Asia and Europe and has Surf Life Savers’ Bronze Medallion, PADI Open Water and Advanced Divers, Search & Rescue Certificates; he loves windsurfing and playing chess. He was a Leadership Team member, Follow-up Team chairman, Youth Bible Study leader, Men’s Team chairman, Sound System chairman, and part-time pastor at the International Christian Fellowship in Rome, Italy (1997-2002).
Sherri Barker
Sherri, CEO, and Operations Manager, is a wife and mother of two with 20+ years of experience as an executive assistant at Homeland Security in Rome, Italy, and Washington DC, leading teams in the evaluation and analysis of operational and administrative programs. She is passionate about her intimacy with God and personal transformation, living a life of wholeness in freedom and fullness.
Sherri leads Living Words alongside her husband, Paul Barker, in Vienna, Virginia, where they have lived since 2009, when they returned from Rome, Italy, with their two beautiful children, Josh and Ariel.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, she lived with her parents and three brothers until she graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BS in Biology and Chemistry. Before embarking on her exciting journey to Italy, Sherri had traveled to Tanzania and Kenya to participate in a building mission with her local church; this is when she first discovered her love for missions.
In 1992, she packed up her bags and moved to Rome, Italy, to work as a nanny with an Italian family and learned to speak Italian. While in Italy, she continued her career as a researcher at the University of La Sapienza and later landed a job at the Rome American Embassy with an American Architectural/Construction firm. She worked as a translator and Executive Assistant. While still at the Embassy, she later started her career with the Department of Homeland Security, where she has worked for more than 20+ years. Her position at Homeland Security has allowed her to travel to Malaysia, Iraq, Guantanamo, and other exciting locations.
While living in Rome, Italy, she met her husband Paul, who is Australian. They enjoyed traveling together, venturing all over Europe, from England, France, Croatia, Germany to parts of Asia and, of course, to Australia. She enjoys many outdoor activities, including water and snow skiing, windsurfing, horseback riding, and ice skating.
Sherri loves the Lord, and her heart is to always to serve. She currently attends Relentless DC, where she served and led Children’s Ministry, and is currently co-leading the Intercessory Team and a member of the Worship Team. Her heart is to see the people of God grow to their full potential and fulfill all that has been written about them in their heavenly books.
Joshua Barker
Joshua was born in Rome, Italy, in 2000 and grew up speaking Italian, Romano, and English fluently, however when he came to America in 2009, he had to learn how to write in English as he had been to school in Italy. He met his good friend Jonathan who had just arrived from Ecuador, and they joined up to play football. He spent his first summer as a simultaneous translator for the Rome baseball team at St Bonaventure University, New York.
Joshua, 21, is currently a Junior, playing football at Salisbury University in Maryland and on the Dean’s List, studying International Business. Josh will participate in a study abroad program in Scotland and spend the summer traveling around Europe.
He has experience tutoring algebra and geometry for SATs, coaching football with Vienna youth, weightlifting at Salisbury University coaching football with Vienna youth, and weightlifting at Salisbury University. He also volunteers at his local church with the youth and children’s ministry and has been the backbone of support for his father suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
He is the recipient of many awards, including NVAAC Sports Scholarship 2019, Best Defensive Player at Madison High School 2019, Best Football Defensive Linebacker with Vienna Youth Inc. 2019, Best Basketball Defense Player with Vienna Youth Inc 2018, and he made the Fairfax County Al Football teams in 2018 and 2019.
Joshua will take up his role full time as Marketing Executive at the end of his studies next year. His dream is to travel in Africa teaching children.