Barbara Aker

Barbara Aker serves as Family Pride Director at Richmond Baking/More Than A Bakery, part of a family-owned contract manufacturing group with roots stretching back more than a century.

A dedicated advocate for second chances and inclusive hiring, Barbara’s commitment to reentry work grew from personal experience after losing her nephew to addiction. Her passion deepened through the Kentucky Chamber’s first Fair Chance Academy, where she gained practical tools to help build and strengthen a fair chance hiring program at More Than A Bakery.

Barbara serves on the Kentucky Governor’s Council of Second Chance Employers, helping advance statewide strategies that expand employment opportunities for people with criminal records. In her work, she has built strong partnerships with organizations including the Kentucky Department of Corrections, Lexington Rescue Mission, Goodwill of Kentucky, and Jubilee Jobs.

Barbara brings both lived understanding and hands-on employer experience to the conversation. She helps employers recognize the value of fair chance hiring and the potential in every person, with a mission rooted in compassion, community, and the belief that meaningful work can transform lives.