Meet Paula

It all started when…

I have lived in North County for over 40 years, 30 of those in District 70. I am married to Robert Brown, a Local 513 heavy equipment operator. Together, we have two kids that I love to death — Tyler and Austin. I graduated from Mizzou with an education degree, then received my Masters in Education from Lindenwood University. After my education, I went on to work for the Hazelwood School District for 31 years, teaching elementary education, working as a middle school librarian, and working as a federal programs coordinator. Working in the school district led me to involvement with the Hazelwood National Education Association, where I got to see why we need union organizations firsthand. As the president of HNEA for 8 years, I fought hard to make sure that my fellow educators got a fair shake.

Why I Ran for House District 70

As an educator, I was always an advocate for children. As I moved through my career I advocated for adequate public school funding, social services for students and families, and worked on campaigns for candidates who shared the same beliefs that I did. As an educator and leader of a large organization, I learned that putting children and adults in positions to succeed is not only good for the individuals, but also the community and world at large. I believe that it was what I was meant to do. When I retired, I spent the first few months doing what retired people do - projects, special trips, and the like. I also spent a great deal of time keeping up with the news and researching different legislative issues — I realized that our government was not putting the success of its citizens first. They were failing Missourians, plain and simple. I could not stand on the sidelines and watch that happen. I didn’t really know what to do but then some former representatives reached out to me to run for office. Originally, I did not jump at the idea, but then my husband asked me if I was going to stand by and be a part of the problem or part of the solution. So I decided to run.