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Raised the Bar

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of participating in leadership program designed to build collaboration among self-advocates, parents of children with disabilities, service providers, and policy makers at national, state, and local levels. I learned what qualities a government official should possess in order to fulfill their obligations to the constituents they serve. State Representative Noreen Kokoruda (R-101) was not only a textbook example, she raised the bar.

At the time, I was looking to create a bill to address hearing screenings in school-aged children. I met Rep. Kokoruda one morning over coffee bringing a mountain of research and an expectation of 15 to 20 minutes of her time. Two hours later of listening and sharing our love of the shoreline, we exchanged numbers. A few weeks later, Rep. Kokoruda shows up at my door; we sat down at my dining room table and hashed out a plan for a bill. After further research of her own, Rep. Kokoruda found more concerns with the deaf and hard of hearing population and added a second bill. During the process, she kept in touch with me as our bills traveled through the system. I also watched her present them live on CT-N and waited with anticipation as the votes rolled in and passed unanimously.

I occasionally have to visit the legislative office building at various hours and I can always find Rep. Kokoruda either in session or chairing a committee. If your readers are looking to hire someone to represent you, who is willing to reach across the aisle, take the extra mile, and get things done, then they should re-elect Representative Noreen Kokoruda.

Sheri Romblad

Madison