Dr. Carl Barnes is an internist and spent two decades treating veterans at the VAs in Denver, CO and Cheyenne, WY working in primary care, ER, compensation and pension, and as a hospitalist. Dr. Barnes currently is a clinical instructor with the CU Center for Interprofessional Practice and Educationtraining healthcare professions students ininterprofessional collaborative care and healthcare ethics. Carl employed his background in genetics to research rare forms of genetic heart disease and has spent the past quarter century volunteering with various patient advocacy organizations on behalf of the rare disease community. Dr. Barnes currently serves on the Rare Disease Legislative Advocates Advisory Committee for the non-profit, EveryLife Foundation. Carl completed a graduate certificate in Bioethics and Health Humanities at CU and applies his interest in the discipline of Narrative Medicine to enhance legislative advocacy through storytelling and served as a judge for the Rare Artist program the past three years.

Carl is a proud descendant of a great-great grandfather who served as a nurse in the Civil War as part of the 91st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Most of all, Carl is the proud son of, Cynthia, a retired nurse who worked in labor and delivery and ICU in addition to being a volunteer advocate for her fellow nurses over a 40 year career while raising her three sons to volunteer time to enriching the wellness of others.