Her extended family has voting control of Brown-Forman Corporation, the parent company of Jack Daniel's whiskey and other brands.

Barzun grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and attended Westover School (Connecticut) and Lake Forest College (Illinois).

She received her master's degree in marriage, family and child counseling at Notre Dame De Namur University (California) with an emphasis in art therapy.

[6][7] In London, where her husband served as Ambassador 2013–2017, she continued her cultural diplomacy, joining the Royal Academy of Arts Development Trust.

The effort "[put] us five to 10 years ahead of where we thought we would be in completing the master plan," according to Speed board president Allan Latts, and reduced the project's original budget by $20 million because of cost savings captured from an accelerated construction timetable.