{{short description|American politician (born 1949)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Barbara Bry | image = Barbara Bry Interview.png | office = President Pro Tempore of the San Diego City Council | 1blankname = {{nowrap|Mayor}} | 1namedata = Kevin Faulconer | 2blankname = {{nowrap|Council President}} | 2namedata = Myrtle Cole<br/>Georgette Gómez | term_start = 2017 | term_end = December 10, 2020 | predecessor = | successor = Stephen Whitburn | office1 = Member of the San Diego City Council from the 1st district | 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|Mayor}} | 1namedata1 = Kevin Faulconer | term_start1 = December 12, 2016 | term_end1 = December 10, 2020 | predecessor1 = Sherri Lightner | successor1 = Joe LaCava | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|4|9}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | dearth_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Neil Senturia | children = 2 | education = University of Pennsylvania (BS, MEd)<br />Harvard Business School (MBA) | website = {{url|barbarabry.com|Official website}} }} '''Barbara Bry'''{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|b|r|i}}, like ''brie''.}} (born April 9, 1949) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as a member of the San Diego City Council from 2016 to 2020, representing District 1. A member of the Democratic Party,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lajollalight.com/news/story/2020-02-20/san-diego-mayoral-candidate-barbara-bry|title=Mayoral candidate Barbara Bry sits down with La Jolla Light; explains why she wants to lead San Diego|last=Levitan|first=Corey|date=February 20, 2020|work=La Jolla Light|access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> she served as president pro tempore of the city council from 2017 to 2020 and was a candidate for mayor of San Diego in the 2020 election.<ref>{{cite news |author1=City News Service |title=Councilwoman Barbara Bry announces 2020 bid for San Diego mayor |url=https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/01/02/councilwoman-barbara-bry-announces-2020-bid-for-san-diego-mayor/ |access-date=January 13, 2019 |work=fox5sandiego.com |date=January 2, 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jennewein |first1=Chris |title=Barbara Bry Promises to Bring High Tech Experience to Mayor's Job |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2019/01/02/barbara-bry-promises-to-bring-high-tech-experience-to-mayors-job/ |access-date=January 13, 2019 |work=Times of San Diego |date=January 3, 2019}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Bry was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} She attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in sociology and a Master of Education.<ref name="Bry LinkedIn">{{Cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarabry/ |title=Barbara Bry |publisher=LinkedIn |access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref> She later attended Harvard Business School, where she earned a Master of Business Administration degree.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Barbara Bry|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Barbara_Bry|access-date=2020-10-25|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}</ref>
==Career== Prior to running for elected office, Bry worked at Connect, a venture capital group.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-26|title=Xconomy: Connect, San Diego Venture Group Announce Plan to Merge Operations|url=https://xconomy.com/san-diego/2019/04/26/connect-san-diego-venture-group-announce-plan-to-merge-operations/|access-date=2020-10-25|website=Xconomy|language=en}}</ref> She later became an entrepreneur and served on the initial management team of ProFlowers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.barbarabry.com/|title=Barbara Bry for City Council 2016|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref>
In 1998, Bry founded Athena San Diego, an organization for women in the tech and life sciences community. In 2008, Bry founded Run Women Run, an organization that recruits and trains pro-choice women seeking elected and appointed office.<ref>{{cite web |title=Run Women Run |url=http://www.runwomenrun.org/history |website=Run Women Run |access-date=25 October 2020}}</ref>
===San Diego City Council=== In 2016, Bry ran for the District 1 seat on the San Diego City Council vacated by term-limited incumbent Sherri Lightner.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bowen|first1=Andrew|title=Lightner Staffer Moves To Enter District 1 City Council Race|work=KPBS Public Media|url=http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/mar/04/lightner-staffer-enters-district-1-city-council/|access-date=April 1, 2016}}</ref> Bry and Republican Ray Ellis advanced from the March primary with 48% and 34% of the vote, respectively. However, on August 12, 2016, Ellis withdrew from the race,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Logan|title=Ellis concedes council race to Bry|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/aug/12/ellis-concedes-defeat-to-bry/|access-date=August 12, 2016|agency=The San Diego Union Tribune|date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> although his name still appeared on the November ballot.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bowen|first1=Andrew|last2=Ruth|first2=Brooke|title=Ray Ellis Drops Out Of District 1 San Diego City Council Race|url=http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/aug/12/ray-ellis-drops-out-district-1-san-diego-city-coun/|access-date=August 16, 2016|work=KPBS|date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> Bry went on to win the general election with 65% of the vote.<ref name=CD1results>{{cite web|title=Election History – Council District 1|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/pdf/cd1results.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref>
After assuming office in December 2016, Bry served as president pro tempore of the San Diego City Council from 2017 to 2020 under council presidents Myrtle Cole and Georgette Gómez.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Alexander |title=City Council Re-Appoints Bry as Pro Tem, Approves Committee Rosters |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2018/12/17/city-council-re-ups-bry-as-pro-tem-approves-committee-rosters/ |access-date=December 22, 2018 |work=Times of San Diego |date=December 17, 2018}}</ref> During her tenure on the city council, she supported restrictions on short term vacation rentals<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-utbg-vacation-rentals-bry-sandiego-20180706-story.html|title=Why San Diego needs limits on vacation rentals|last=Bry|first=Barbara|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> and dockless bicycles,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-dockless-bikes-20180620-story.html|title=San Diego considering crackdown on dockless bikes, including fees, new rules|last=Garrick|first=David|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=August 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823153318/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-dockless-bikes-20180620-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> while supporting efforts to combat the gender wage gap in San Diego.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/September-2018/What-San-Diego-Women-Want/How-Im-Empowering-Women-in-the-Workplace/|title=How I'm Empowering Women in the Workplace|access-date=September 6, 2018|language=en}}</ref>
=== 2020 mayoral campaign === {{main|2020 San Diego mayoral election}} Bry ran for mayor of San Diego in 2020, seeking to succeed term-limited incumbent Kevin Faulconer. Bry and fellow Democrat, California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria advanced from the March primary with 22.9% and 41.5% of the vote, respectively. During the campaign, Bry received pushback from local Democratic Party leaders for mailers seen as critical of the YIMBY housing movement.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lewis|first=Scott|date=2019-06-26|title='They're Coming for Our Homes': Bry Blasts YIMBY Movement|url=https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/politics/theyre-coming-for-our-homes-bry-blasts-yimby-movement/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627132804/https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/politics/theyre-coming-for-our-homes-bry-blasts-yimby-movement/ |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |access-date=2020-08-28|website=Voice of San Diego|language=en-US}}</ref> Gloria went on to defeat Bry in the November general election with 55.95% of the vote.
After leaving office in December 2020, Bry returned to the private sector to work for a venture capital and private equity firm.<ref name="Bry LinkedIn" />
== Personal life == Bry lives in San Diego, California with her husband, entrepreneur Neil Senturia. They have two daughters and are grandparents. Bry and her husband are of the Jewish faith.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Erin Chambers|title=Plus One: Neil Senturia & Barbara Bry|url=https://www.sandiegomagazine.com/guides/plus-one-neil-senturia-barbara-bry/article_01793a55-c886-5faf-b689-f6aecb844149.html|access-date=2020-10-25|website=San Diego Magazine|language=en}}</ref>
==Electoral history== ===2016 San Diego City Council=== {{Election box open primary begin no party no change | title = 2016 San Diego City Council, District 1 <ref name=CD1results /> }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Barbara Bry | votes = 18559 | percentage = 48% }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Ray Ellis | votes = 12982 | percentage = 34% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Bruce D. Lightner | votes = 3711 | percentage = 10% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Kyle Heiskala | votes = 2344 | percentage = 6% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Louis A. Rodolico | votes = 707 | percentage = 2% }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 38303 | percentage= 100% }} {{Election box open primary general election no party no change}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Barbara Bry | votes = 38,470 | percentage = 65% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Ray Ellis | votes = 20,305 | percentage = 35% }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 58,775 | percentage= 100% }} {{Election box end}}
===2020 Mayor of San Diego=== {{Election box open primary begin no party no change | title = 2020 San Diego mayoral election<ref>{{cite web |title=Election Night Results |url=https://www.livevoterturnout.com/SanDiego/LiveResults/en/Index_8.html |website=March 2, 2020 Presidential Primary |publisher=San Diego County Registrar of Voters |access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Todd Gloria | votes = 147,654 | percentage = 41.5% }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Barbara Bry | votes = 81,541 | percentage = 22.9% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Scott Sherman | votes = 80,352 | percentage = 22.6% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Tasha Williamson | votes = 25,629 | percentage = 7.2% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Gita Applebaum Singh | votes = 12,716 | percentage = 3.6% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Rich Riel | votes = 8,067 | percentage = 2.3% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Jarvis Gandy (Write-in candidate) | votes = 3 | percentage = 0.0% }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 355,994 | percentage= 100% }} {{Election box open primary general election no party no change}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Todd Gloria | votes = 346,662 | percentage = 55.95% }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Barbara Bry | votes = 272,887 | percentage = 44.05% }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 619,549 | percentage= 100% }} {{Election box end}}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd1 City of San Diego: Barbara Bry website]
{{SDCouncil}} {{Women's Museum of California}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bry, Barbara}} Category:1949 births Category:21st-century California politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:California Democrats Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:Living people Category:People from La Jolla, San Diego Category:Politicians from Philadelphia Category:San Diego City Council members Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:Women city councillors in California Category:People from University City, San Diego Category:Jewish American women in politics