Elizabeth H. Barber - Author

Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Hicklin Barber is professor emeritus from Temple University's School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM). Prior to retirement in 2020, Dr. Barber was a full professor and founding associate dean of STHM.

Dr. Barber is one of the area's foremost educators in the development of curricula for tourism, hospitality, sport, and recreation. Since the School's inception in 1998, she led the program as the founding associate dean. For 18 years, as associate dean, Dr. Barber served as COO, CFO, CRO, and CIO for the school where she managed daily operations, personnel administration, financial/budget oversight, fundraising, research initiatives, and technology needs for both classrooms and staff. She was responsible for an $8.5 million operating budget and raised over $5 million in endowments, over $1 million in externally funded grants and projects, and $500,000 for the STHM annual fund. Dr. Barber created exchange programs and study abroad opportunities for Temple students in Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea), Austria, England, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, as well as a 2+2 program at Temple University – Japan (were students studied two years in Tokyo and two years in Philadelphia). An Executive Masters in Tourism and Hospitality Management (Exe-MTHM) degree was created in Singapore.

In 2016, Dr. Barber returned to her role as a full-time faculty member, teaching and managing business development for STHM. Dr. Barber is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE). She completed her PhD and MA from the University of Iowa. Her areas of research have included values based education, curriculum development, teaching and learning styles, and customer and personnel satisfaction within an organization. She joined Temple University in 1989.

She is an active participant in the tourism, hospitality, sport and recreation communities. She is a currently a board member of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau – PHLDiversity and a member of the Education Committee.  She is a past chair of Philadelphia Hospitality and current vice chair of Philadelphia SKAL, serving as an executive board member and secretary. Previously, Dr. Barber served as past executive board member of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, a member and past president of the NE regional federation of I-CHRIE (International Council for Hospitality, Restaurant, and Institutional Educators) HEMAR, and past president of the International Special Events Foundation (ISEF).

Introduction to Leisure Services eBook