Meet a New School Staff Member: Maureen Moran

— from Orcas Island School District —

MAUREEN MORAN, Elementary Office Manager

What did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
A mom with 10 kids. What was I thinking?!

Do you have pets?
Not yet. Would like to adopt a dog and a cat, sometime soon.

Any favorite hobbies or interests outside of work?
Hiking, beachcombing, reading, time with friends, my husband and kids, and all alone.

What kind of music do you like?
Spanish classical guitar.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
An actress and a college theatre professor.

What lessons has your work life taught you?
Perseverance, honesty, confidence, gratitude.

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Why?
Ride in a hot air balloon. To be high enough to get a birds-eye view, but not so high I need oxygen.

Do you have any favorite stories from your work life?
I was in a position just once in my career to be able to give a well-deserving employee a long overdue raise.

Do you have any favorite stories from school?
In my senior year of high school (1987) I was given the opportunity to recite Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream” speech, on MLK day, at the convention center in Madison, WI (where I grew up). I shook like a leaf but it was exhilarating.

Did you ever see yourself living on an island?
Not until I moved to Seattle after college (1993) and began visiting Orcas every year after that. It took me 23 years to get here.

What do you like the most about living on Orcas?
The trees, the clean air, the pace, the people.

Was there a teacher or teachers who had a particularly strong influence on your life? Tell me about them.
My theatre professor at UW Wisconsin, at Lacrosse. He was incredibly compassionate, and tough. He saw a shy, insecure kid who needed a nudge, and pushed me out of my shell to help me find my voice, my confidence and my passion in life.