The Cobb Chamber’s East Cobb Area Council has selected Irene Barton as its 2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year. The Citizen of the Year Awards are given to honor an individual whose impact through the years will be recognized and regarded with pride throughout the area as a role model. These outstanding citizens are chosen for their definable, exceptional deeds, with which he or she have made their community a better place to live. Awards are given based on local area nominations. The 2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year award was presented at the East Cobb Area Council breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club.
As the Executive Director of the Cobb Collaborative, Irene Barton works every day to ensure that the East Cobb community is a wonderful place to live, work, and play. Barton has greatly increased the capacity of the Cobb Collaborative to improve outcomes for all children and families in the community.
Since becoming the Executive Director in September 2018, she has quadrupled the organization’s budget through earned income, grants, donors and sponsorships, launched the Connecting Cobb Veterans program, established key partnerships with local organizations, brought critical mental health, suicide prevention and trauma-credentialed training to over 4,000 individuals through the Mind Your Mind mental health awareness campaign, distributed over 8,300 books to children, installed over 50 Little Free Libraries across the county and grown the membership from 78 to 125.
Additionally, Barton has been a part of East Cobb Civitan Club since 2020, serving as Secretary in 2021, President-Elect in 2022 and President in 2023. As the President, she plans the twice-monthly meeting agendas, arranges for speakers and service projects, and promotes the mission of Civitan International. Along with her fellow Civitans, she works to raise awareness about individuals with developmental disabilities and champion the inter national research center in Alabama.
Barton has been involved in a number of professional organizations such as McCleskey YMCA Board of Directors, Creation Care Team at Catholic Church of St. Ann’s, Georgia PTA, Cobb Community Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse (CCAPSA), Leadership Cobb Class of 2024, Get Georgia Reading Cabinet, Regional Advisory Council, South Cobb Business Association, Cobb Executive Women, and Honorary Commanders Alumni Association. Throughout her 25 years in Cobb, Barton has consistently put service above self in all she does, dedicating herself to helping improve the quality of life in East Cobb.
by Irene Barton, Executive Director, Cobb Collaborative
