Selectperson Barbara Manners

Raised in New York City, graduate of NYU at Wash. Sq.; M.A. in History from NYU; J.D. from Fordham Law School.

17 years of legal experience working first for law firm Nixon Hargrave Devans & Doyle, then for major pharmaceutical corporations Schering- Plough in New Jersey and Purdue Frederick in Norwalk CT; ultimately general counsel of publicly-traded generic drug company Par Pharmaceutical. Experience managing in-house as well as outside counsel, negotiating contracts, dealing with state and federal agencies, administrative law, litigation etc.

Moved to Ridgefield in 1983. Husband Morgan Weber, also an attorney. Son, David Manners-Weber, graduate of Yale and current student at Yale Law, shares his mom’s interest in the political process. Possessor of several rescue canines.

Founder and first president of the Friends of the RPAC, the grass roots group that fought for and founded The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and the Performing Arts. (1994-March 2001)

Founder and producer of Concert Happenings in Ridgefield's Parks, the highly successful summer series of Tuesday night concerts in Ballard Park begun in summer of 2002. www.ridgefieldct.org/chirp

Producer of Acoustic Celebration, an affordable Sunday evening singer/songwriter series that takes place at Temple Shearith Israel, 46 Peaceable St and at St. Stephen’s Church, 351 Main Street. www.acousticcelebration.org

Has been Board of Selectmen member since 1997. Served on Board of Directors of Women's Center in Danbury for three years 1996-1999 and negotiated the purchase of its permanent home at 2 West St. Currently on its Advisory Board. Board of Directors of ABC from 1996-March 2001. Member of League of Women Voters. Previously served as President of Ridgefield Branch of American Association of University Women. Former Corresponding Secretary of the Board of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Also Chair of the Holiday Trust Fund Committee, established at Ms. Manners’ initiative to raise funds to support Halloween Walk and downtown holiday lights. Active in canine rescue work.

Recipient of 1999 CT State AAUW Award for Community Leadership, 2010 MLK Community Service Award, 2013 Cultural Alliance of Western CT Heart of the Arts Award, and the 2014 Ridgefield Arts Council Nancy Comstock Andrews Award.

You can reach Barbara via email