Linda Barnes

Linda Barnes is the Executive Assistant Director of the FBI.

Background
Much about Barnes was revealed from Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. She is a mother of a young boy named Kenny and she is the FBI's Executive Assistant Director. She investigated Matt Simmons' former team, FBI's International Response Team (IRT) twice before its disbandment around "Wheels Up".

She investigated the death of Tracey Ferguson, but ruled the death an accidental overdose and sealed the file.

Cure
Barnes first sent an email to JJ, which soon worried her; the last time she got an e-mail like she does from Barnes, she was taken off the team. During a conversation with Simmons, he tells her she was the main reason for the IRT's disbandment and tells her of Barnes' ambitions to be the next FBI Director. At the end of the episode, she greets JJ, who quickly tells her she will be the Acting Unit Chief of the BAU and tells her Emily Prentiss is on administrative leave pending review.

Miasma
Barnes is first seen talking to JJ about why she had been selected as Acting Unit Cheif; she thinks JJ does excellent work. She then asked why decided the brass didn't give you a shot at Unit Chief when Agent Hotchner elected to leave before bringing up the one-year anniversary of Reid's arrest in Mexico. Because of this, it is a standard operating procedure for the director to initiate an internal audit; which includes Barnes going over the BAU's caseload to make sure that the team is following protocol and Agent Prentiss will need to give a full account of the BAU's actions as the team's leader. Therefore, JJ will be the Acting Unit, pending further review and team will remain on active duty. As a courtesy, Barnes wants to keep her conversation with JJ between the two of them.

Appearances

 * Season Thirteen
 * "Cure"
 * "Miasma"
 * "Annihilator"
 * "Last Gasp"