With May being Brain Cancer Awareness Month, Lifestyle sat down with local fundraising phenom Amber Barbach, a 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and the founder of Glioblastoma Research Organization. Barbach lost her father to glioblastoma brain cancer in 2018, prompting her take action and launch the nonprofit to raise awareness and funds for cutting-edge research.
You were so young when you lost your father to cancer and yet you were determined to do something to make a difference. What gave you the confidence that you could do it?
I’ve always been someone who naturally thinks in ideas and solutions. After my dad passed, I reached out to a few nonprofits in the brain cancer space to get involved, but no one responded. So, I decided to create what I felt was missing. It wasn’t about confidence. I didn’t have a plan or experience in the nonprofit world. But I’ve always had the mindset that if something needs to exist, I’ll find a way to build it. I just went for it, and let purpose lead the way.
Tell us about the Glioblastoma Research Organization.
I started the Glioblastoma Research Organization six months after my dad passed away. It began as a small awareness platform, and today, it’s a global nonprofit that has raised over $2.2 million, funded 10+ research initiatives and built a deeply engaged digital community. We’ve hosted summits, created a podcast, which is now a docuseries, and reimagined what advocacy can look like for a disease that often gets overlooked. We’re still growing, and the best part is we’re just getting started.
What has your journey been like since then?
It’s been full of learning curves, small wins, and constant evolution. I started with so much emotion and not a lot of experience, but over time, I’ve figured out how to lead with both heart and clarity. I’ve learned to ask for help, build real partnerships, and stay open to feedback. Looking ahead, I hope to keep growing the organization in meaningful ways through global collaborations, more patient-centered initiatives, and innovative approaches to fundraising and awareness.
What’s on your “to-do” list for the future?
Growing the organization remains a major focus — expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and continuing to collaborate with other nonprofits, research institutions, and brands to drive global awareness and change in the brain cancer space. I’m also writing a book, which has been a longtime personal goal. Separately, I’m continuing to grow The Nonprofit Marketing Co., helping other mission-driven organizations scale their impact through strategic storytelling and brand partnerships. And quietly, I’m working on a new project in the neuro space. I can’t share much about it yet, but the goal is to take something that’s traditionally complex and bring it to a much wider audience. Big things ahead!
How does such a determinedly hard worker spend her downtime?
I really value my downtime. I love to travel, especially to places where I can immerse myself in different cultures, learn the language, and step outside my usual routine. It’s one of the ways I reconnect with creativity and curiosity. At home, my perfect downtime consists of long walks, good food, and quality time with people I care about. And if there’s a Formula 1 race on, I’m watching.
State of mind going into the second half of 2025 in 10 words or less:
Focused on purpose, not noise.
