Barry graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. He began his professional life working in investment banking before becoming a student of Tarthang Tulku in the early 1970’s. From 1988-1993 he was Dean of the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley, California. In 2002 he founded Silent Moon Books a publishing company to relate stories for children and adults about Moritz, his therapy dog. He has taught Kum Nye (Tibetan relaxation yoga) throughout the world for over a decade. In 2009, Barry became Co-director of the Guna Foundation that produced 3 documentary films; Light of the Valley, Prayers of the Ancient Ones and The Great Transmission. In recent years he compiled and produced the Quotes Trilogy and Quotes Companion journal.