Meet Union County ESP of the Year Lisa Palin
Working in Roselle Public Schools in the Operational Technology Department as an IT technician is a homecoming for Lisa Palin, the Union County ESP of the Year.
“I grew up in Roselle,” Palin says. “While I graduated from Plainfield High School, after I got married, I moved back to Roselle and now live in the house I grew up in.”
Palin’s commitment to Roselle and its students has only grown over her 27 years in the district.
“I started working in the central office,” Palin says. “I was a secretary in the office of curriculum instruction. I was there for nine years before I took a new assignment in the technology department. Over the last 18 years, I’ve seen technology change so much. I’m happy to help people adapt to those changes.”
As comfortable as Palin is with technology, she knows that it can be challenging for others.
“Some people are amazing educators, but they’re not comfortable with technology,” Palin says. “I love helping people. I always tell people, if you want to know something, just ask. Don’t worry if it’s a dumb question. I love the staff and the students.”
Because of her willingness to pitch in and help, Palin often finds herself fielding technology questions from everyone in her life.
“But I tell them, I don’t work on Saturdays!” Palin laughs.
Palin’s union involvement is also round-the-clock. After starting out as the Roselle Education Association secretary, she served as president for five years. She resigned to fulfill an NEA/NJEA internship in Maryland.
Now back in the district, Palin continues to be an active member of the REA. She served as the Union County Education Association president for eight years and is still involved there, as well. She currently serves on the NJEA Elections Committee. Part of the committee’s responsibilities is managing the elections at the NEA Representative Assembly. She has served as a delegate to the RA for 19 years.
Palin’s interest in union involvement was encouraged by her father, a true union advocate who worked for General Motors and was a member of UAW 595.
“Being involved in a union is so important because everything that we have was fought for by the people who came before us,” Palin says. “I don’t want us to be the ones who lose it. We need to be active and stand up for them and ourselves.”
Palin was honored to be named the Union County ESP of the Year, an accolade she previously earned years earlier.
“It’s so nice to be acknowledged,” Palin says. “I was surprised and so humbled.”
Palin urges her colleagues in public education to get involved in their local, county, state and national union.
“Each of these associations needs you, now more than ever,” Palin concludes. “We’ve got a fight ahead of us.”