Kyran McBride Barr earned his B.A. and M.A. in psychology from Saint Bonaventure University and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from National American University’s Roueche Graduate Center. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma Studies from University College Cork, completed in partnership with the WAVE Trauma Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At Long Beach City College, Dr. Barr helped build the Trauma Studies program, the first Chancellor’s Office-approved undergraduate Trauma Studies degree in California, and helped create the Accelerate program, a completion-focused pathway for adult learners. He co-chairs the college’s Trauma-Informed Approach Workgroup and has led a study abroad to Ireland and Northern Ireland examining the impact of trauma on mental health. He has presented at academic conferences and published in the Journal for Specialists in Group Work.

Before coming to LBCC, Dr. Barr provided psychological first aid at the Pier 94 Family Assistance Center in New York City following the September 11 attacks and served as a prevention social worker at the LaSalle School in Albany, New York, supporting adolescents and families affected by trauma and mental health challenges. His teaching and scholarship focus on trauma-informed care, frontline workforce preparation, and the role of community colleges in equity-centered program design.