Newsmaker: Barbara VanKirk

Age: 53

Residence: Murrysville

Family: Husband, John VanKirk; son, John; daughter, Bethany

Occupation: President, owner and founder of IQ Inc., a technical consulting and software engineering company in Murrysville

Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science from Point Park College; certificate from the Institute for Entrepreneuial Excellence at the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh

Noteworthy: Named the 2009 Friend of the Family by the Parental Stress Center of Pittsburgh, which works to prevent child abuse and neglect across Western Pennsylvania

Background: Began working with the East Liberty-based center about three years ago, after Executive Director Jim Thompson told her his concerns about a computer system used to keep track of information about children the center serves. VanKirk's company created a system that allows counselors to tap in from anywhere. IQ Inc. has run fundraisers for the center.

Quote: "Anything to do with children, I have a deep passion for that."