Rep. Lisa Callan Wins AWSP’s 2020 Torch of Leadership Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           

An advocate for strong communities, mental health, and equitable systems

OLYMPIA –– Each year, AWSP’s Advocacy Advisory Council has the opportunity to select a state-level public servant who has demonstrated support of principals and the principalship in the education of all students. For 2020, the Council selected Representative Lisa Callan as AWSP’s 2020 Torch of Leadership Award winner. Representative Callan is a Democrat representing the 5^th legislative district, which includes Issaquah, North Bend, and the surrounding areas. 

Prior to serving in the Legislature, Representative Callan worked as a Boeing engineer and project manager and in software development consulting. She is a former Issaquah School District School Board member and was actively involved with her son’s PTSA. 

Representative Callan serves on the House Education Committee and is Vice-Chair of both the House Capital Budget Committee and the House Human Services & Early Learning Committee. She is also a member of the Office of Homeless Youth Advisory Committee and the Early Learning Advisory Council. 

She is hoping to assume the role of co-chair for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG) this fall and successfully ran the authorizing bill for this group (2SHB 2737) in the last legislative session. This bill continues years of work by the Children’s Mental Health Work Group. It also establishes an advisory group focused on school-based behavioral health and suicide prevention to advise the CYBHWG on creating and maintaining an integrated system of care through a tiered support framework for K-12 school systems. 

Representative Callan also sponsored ESHB 2116, which established a task force on Improving Institutional Education Programs and Outcomes. She leads this work as well.

In her work as a legislator, she demonstrates incredible systems-level thinking in her approach to mental health needs for children. Representative Callan puts the needs of students first in her work as a policymaker and she communicates well with stakeholders as she makes decisions. She is committed to building strong communities and an education system that equitably supports each and every child. 

In her own words, she writes, “I am a big believer in making sure our principals and teachers and all education staff have the tools and systems they need to meet every child where they are, meeting their learning and social-emotional needs, so each and every student has their very best chance to thrive.”                            

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