Vice President and Director of Legislation and Advocacy – Paula McKinney

Your Name:  Paula McKinney

MoPTA Board of Managers Position:  Vice President and Director of Legislation and Advocacy

Involved in Board of Managers Since:  2015.

What does your position do?:  Vice President Legislation and Advocacy provides advocacy for safe schools, healthy families, and excellent education for Missouri communities. My role will provide a Missouri PTA presence surrounding legislation by using social media to provide JC/DC alerts to the delegates and speaking with our legislators about important issues.

Unit/Council, Region & Years Involved:  – Currently I serve on a local unit and a council unit as the treasurer for both in the Three Trails region. I have been involved in PTA at the local unit level since 1998.

Why are you involved in PTA?:  Children. I want to make a difference for children. I love serving on a team with people who are all working toward a common goal. The PTA Mission statement means so much to me – a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for all families and communities, and a strong advocate for the education and well being of every child.

Favorites:

Food/Drink:  My favorite food is Mexican. I love chips and salsa! My favorite drink is iced tea.

Season:  Fall

Entertainment (Book, Movie, TV, Band, Music):  I love to read all types of books. Right now my favorite show is Riverdale, my children got me hooked on it. I love all types of music, it is so good for the soul.

Activities/Hobbies:  I love to spend time with my friends and family. My family enjoys watching movies together and spending time outdoors.

Quote:  “This is the year I will be Stronger, Braver, Kinder, and Unstoppable. This year I will be fierce!”

More about you:

Describe yourself in 3-5 words:  Ambitious, Compassionate, and Devoted

Healthy Living Tip:  Drink Water!!

What makes you stand out?:  I am very social and love to work with others.

What are you learning this year:  This year I am learning to take care of myself. Take time for me and provide some self care.

What is a goal you have this year?:  My goal is to advocate. Honestly, advocating is not my strong point. My goal is to make this a priority. Calling and emailing my state representatives will be something I do. I want them to hear from the parents of the children that these issues are affecting.

What is a proud accomplishment?:  My family is my proudest accomplishment. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 18 years. We have one daughter, MacKenzie, whom we adopted at birth. She is 10 years old now and keeps us laughing everyday. Through foster care our family has grown again. John and I are so lucky to have these awesome children in our lives. We learn from them each and every day.

Something interesting you’ve done this year:  Family is so important to my husband and I. This past year we became foster parents to our two nieces and our nephew. Our family grew from three to six overnight. Being a foster parent has provided me the opportunity to continue to advocate for children. Working for the better of children is why I love PTA. Back in 1998, when I first joined the local unit, I never dreamed I would someday be nominated to serve on the state board. I enjoy volunteering at the school and being able to develop relationships with the staff and other parents. Serving on the state board will allow me to be a voice for all children. The team of people that are on the state board are a phenomenal group that I look forward to learning from.