Lisa Merrick
Portland,OR
Summary
Forward-thinking, passionate, and innovative Senior Manager adept at managing multiple priorities and navigating complex situations or rapidly changing environments with ease.
Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders centered in student success to solve problems and advance solutions.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager of Government Relations
Portland Public Schools
03.2023 - Current
- Establish strong relationships with local, state, and federal officials and external stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships that center students.
- Lead cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and deliver high-quality results for students.
- Balance competing priorities efficiently while maintaining focus on critical tasks requiring immediate attention.
- Advise the Board of Education and Senior Leadership in the development of policies and strategies to advance PPS priorities across local, state and federal government levels.
- Leverage strong analytical and problem-solving skills to develop effective solutions for challenging situations.
- Consult with subject matter experts in securing local, state, and federal grants. Monitor and analyze legislation
Legislative Liaison
Portland Public Schools
05.2022 - 02.2023
- Enhanced communication between legislators, school district, and Board of Education by establishing strong relationships and maintaining open lines of dialogue.
- Provided clear guidance on regulatory compliance matters for various departments within the organization, reducing risk of violations or penalties.
- Delivered political subject matter expertise to government representatives and civic officials.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of existing advocacy strategies and implemented improvements, resulting in increased success rates for policy change efforts.
Legislative Director
State Of Oregon
09.2021 - 05.2022
- Developed, reviewed, and revised legislation for optimal effectiveness and compliance.
- Spearheaded advocacy efforts to garner support for policies that addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and improved quality of life in House District 47 and the state of Oregon.
- Developed and ensured successful passage of the EITC (formerly Essential Worker Pay) bill.
- Built strong relationships with key stakeholders, resulting in increased support for critical initiatives.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of current events and political landscape to better inform policy decisions.
- Developed strategic plans for legislative sessions, prioritizing issues based on importance and feasibility.
- Facilitated productive working relationships across party lines through effective communication strategies.
Chief of Staff, Representative Alonso León
State Of Oregon
12.2020 - 09.2021
- Managed a team of legislative staff members, ensuring efficient workflow and timely completion of tasks.
- Enhanced legislative processes by analyzing and evaluating proposed legislation for potential impact on stakeholders.
- Monitored ongoing legislation, providing updates to the Representative and making recommendations as needed.
- Oversaw the successful implementation of passed legislation, monitoring progress and addressing any challenges that arose.
- Used public gatherings, community events and direct relations to keep constituents informed.
Assistant Campaign Manager
Jamie For Oregon
07.2018 - 12.2018
- Developed education policy positions and wrote public statements outlining stances.
- Enhanced campaign performance by developing and implementing targeted outreach strategies.
- Kept abreast of emerging trends and best practices in education policy to provide recommendations to the congressional candidate.
- Identified, researched and tracked legislative issues relevant to current public issues.
Literacy Specialist
Community Transitional School
10.2016 - 06.2017
- Personalized literacy and math instruction based on needs, interests and capabilities of individual students.
- Increased parent engagement through consistent communication about student progress and opportunities for support at home.
- Coordinated efforts with homeroom teachers to ensure seamless integration of accommodations for students with diverse learning needs within the general education setting.
- Created and developed lesson plans to meet students' academic needs.
Kindergarten Teacher
Qatar Foundation
08.2014 - 06.2016
- Created child-centered learning environment where students were supported to develop full potential and achieve learning objectives.
- Enhanced classroom management by establishing clear expectations, rules, and routines.
- Utilized various assessment strategies to evaluate student performance and curate learning tools and strategies.
- Arranged parent-teacher orientation events and conferences to address student progress and collaboratively set goals for areas of improvement.
Education
Master of Arts - Education Policy And Management
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA05.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology And Educational Studies
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA05.2014
Skills
- Interpersonal Relations
- Policy Analysis
- Data Analytics
- Strategic Planning
- Project Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Timeline
Senior Manager of Government Relations
Portland Public Schools
03.2023 - Current
Legislative Liaison
Portland Public Schools
05.2022 - 02.2023
Legislative Director
State Of Oregon
09.2021 - 05.2022
Chief of Staff, Representative Alonso León
State Of Oregon
12.2020 - 09.2021
Assistant Campaign Manager
Jamie For Oregon
07.2018 - 12.2018
Literacy Specialist
Community Transitional School
10.2016 - 06.2017
Kindergarten Teacher
Qatar Foundation
08.2014 - 06.2016
Master of Arts - Education Policy And Management
Harvard University
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology And Educational Studies
Bryn Mawr College