Barker (born May 7, 1961) is an American author, academic, businessman, and politician, who began serving as a Regent on the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa on May 1, 2019.
A former economist for the Federal Reserve, Barker operates a real estate and finance company and is an Iowa Republican Party official.
His academic research has been covered in print and broadcast media including Marketplace, As It Happens, The Economist, Time Magazine, and the New York Times.
He has also written for U.S.
News & World Report, the Christian Science Monitor, Collier's Magazine, and other publications.