Barry joined VOA in the late 1970s from Johannesburg, where he had spent three years as a freelance correspondent in the southern Africa region.

His first career was in academia, teaching economics and social science, most recently at Western Michigan University. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics. Here in Washington he has twice been a short-term scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center, examining economic issues in eastern Europe.

He is married with three children. He can be reached at bwood@voanews.com.