I moved to Newport News when I was 2 and grew up in the public school system here. I left Newport News to attend James Madison University and then Washington and Lee University School of Law. Like many Virginia-native attorneys, I then moved to Northern Virginia to start my career. I have always been drawn to public service and began my career in the federal government. However, I always desired to raise my family in the Tidewater area; so we moved back to the area prior to having children. Currently, I am Deputy General Counsel for Contracts for Smithfield Foods, Inc.
I am interested in being part of the TLS board because I value the education process and would like to be involved in the board that forms the strategic plan for the early education my three children will receive. As with many parents, we selected TLS because it offered both a strong educational foundation as well as a curriculum focused on the development of the whole child. I hope to participate in discussions and the decision making process to ensure that TLS continues to offer these opportunities to its students.
Throughout my career I have had many opportunities to engage in the strategic planning for the development of both small groups (the legal team) as well as organizations as a whole during which I leveraged my mediation and negotiation skills to navigate difficult conversations and achieve results that benefit the organization as a whole. As part of the school board, I hope to utilize these same skill sets to assist in identifying goals that assist in maintaining a strong educational curriculum and attracting teachers, staff and students who portray the overall values of the Trinity Lutheran community.Pam Boerner