Longtime Lincoln County School District board member Liz Martin of Depoe Bay was named the 2023 Oregon school board member of the year at the Oregon School Boards Association’s annual convention Saturday in Portland.
Martin has been on the Lincoln County board since 2010, currently serving as vice chair after three years as chair.
During her tenure on the board, Martin oversaw the hiring of three superintendents, was instrumental in the creation of the district strategic plan and equity policy, and has been a key player in acquiring beneficial partnerships and funding for the district, the district said in a statement announcing her award.
“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for recognizing my efforts to make our community a better place,” Martin said in her acceptance speech. “To be acknowledged for doing something I love is a tremendous honor. The more I have given, the more I have gained, but my true measure of success lies in the impact on the people around me. That is the real accolade.”
Martin was re-elected to a four-year board position last May, deciding to file for re-election after no one else sought the seat and after announcing earlier she would be retiring from the board.
Martin is a third generation Lincoln County resident who is also vice chair of the Depoe Bay Harbor Commission, and former chair and current advisory board member of Neighbors For Kids, an after-school day care and school.
The OSBA launched the award in 2018 to recognize outstanding volunteers who make a difference in their communities.