Barbara E. Slade is the great-great-granddaughter of James Jerome Hill, Jr., founder of the Great Northern Railway. Ms. Slade has been a director on the Grotto Board for more than 10 years, and brings to the Board a background in real estate (including sales, collaborating with subcontractors on building plans, visiting job sites, and negotiating pricing with clients), design and management of a girls’ clothing line, illustrating children’s stories for interactive CD-ROMs, fundraising, event planning, and computer production design. She received her education from The Blake School, Simmons College (Studio Art and Communications), and Augsburg College. Barbara is married to Erik Stolhanske.