Obituary: Barbara Webb: A Leader in Cannabis

From the Editorial Team at Highly Capitalized Network

OBITUARY- Barbara Lynne (Christenson) Webb passed away on November 23, 2025, in Traverse City, Michigan, surrounded by her close family.

Within the Cannabis industry Barbara was known for her clarity, sound judgment, and generosity with her time. She listened carefully, offered practical advice, and mentored people who often had nowhere else to turn. Her guidance helped many navigate difficult moments, and her impact extended far beyond any formal title.

Barbara was born on August 31, 1971, in Livonia, Michigan, and grew up in West Bloomfield alongside her sister Kathy and brother Bob. Raised in a close Lutheran family, her early years were shaped by faith, community, and a strong sense of responsibility to others.

Her parents, Ken and Carol Christenson, instilled in her a moral compass and work ethic that stayed with her for life.

She attended Marian Catholic High School in Birmingham, Michigan, where many of her lifelong friendships began. In 1989, she enrolled at the University of Michigan. A year later, she met Todd Webb at a friend’s party—he was playing in a band—and they quickly became inseparable. They married in 1993, graduated together in 1994, and began their life in Birmingham, Michigan.

Barbara’s academic path was unusually broad and demanding. She earned a BBA and MAC in Accounting from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in English from Wayne State University, and a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University.

While completing her dissertation, she gave birth to her son Henry in 2000. Her daughter Lucy followed in 2004. Family anchored everything she did, and she was the force behind shared meals, travel, and a deep connection to Chicago’s culture, history, and neighborhoods.

After returning to public accounting in 2005, Barbara worked at a Chicago family office before joining Miller Cooper, where she rose to tax senior manager. In 2020, she joined MGO and helped establish the firm’s Chicago office.

Her work increasingly focused on complex tax issues in emerging industries, where her ability to combine technical rigor with real-world judgment stood out.

Barbara was a steady presence for colleagues and teams, known for perspective, humor, and calm leadership.

She is survived by Todd, her children Henry and Lucy, her mother Carol, her sister Kathy, her brother Bob, and an extended family that includes many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Ken.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Barbara Webb leaves behind work that mattered, people who are better for having known her, and a legacy defined by generosity, patience, and care.

This obituary was produced by Highly Capitalized Network with the permission of both Barbara Webb’s family and her last employer.