Paulette Garin

Paulette Garin was a Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 1st Congressional District (map) of Wisconsin. She was seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), but lost a primary to Marge Krupp on September 9, 2008.

Bio
A Career of Service – The Ultimate Goal of Helping Others at the Highest Level Possible

Paulette Garin, a 4th generation Kenoshan, was born on May 19, 1962 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She is the only child of Paulette C. and Walter R. Garin. Paulette was raised in a UAW family and has been a union member herself. Her father and campaign treasurer, Walter, served as Local 960 Treasurer for over 30 years. He was also President of the Kenosha Union Club for many years. Growing up in an active union family, Paulette understands and believes in the crucial role unions have played in the development and continuation of the middle class in our country.

In October, 2007, Paulette successfully passed all 4 sections of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. She intentionally pursued the CPA in preparation for her congressional run. She knew that in order to effectively engage and defend her future constituents, she would need to be fluent in the language of the system she would soon navigate.

Paulette has a broad range of experiences providing her not only detailed and direct information about how many of our institutions function, but also how they interact with one another.

She has said, “It’s one thing to observe and think you comprehend, but you take your knowledge to a whole new level if you have actually done it.”

Paulette grew up in a diverse neighborhood. She attended Bain and Jefferson Elementary Schools, and Washington Junior High.

Upon her graduation from Bradford High School, she attended the University of Wisconsin Whitewater on a 4-year music department scholarship graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, and a minor in German.

Her first job out of college was as a Management Trainee with Jewel Food Stores in Illinois. As a member of Local 881, UFCW, AFL-CIO, she learned through hands-on physical labor the detailed operations of the retail grocery business. It was here that she discovered you can’t lead others, set expectations for them, and know what a good job looks like if you haven’t done it yourself.

After Jewel, Paulette spent three years as Director of Marketing for Computer Assistants, Ltd., an Information Technology (IT) consulting firm that specialized in serving non-profit organizations. In this management consultant position, Paulette gained in depth knowledge of non-profits by assisting them to automate their processes via IT.

While still employed for Computer Assistants, Ltd., Paulette hung out her “Piano Teacher” shingle and began to accumulate students. Her practice, in Arlington Heights, IL and Mount Prospect, IL, grew so large that she left her marketing job to devote her full energies to her studio. Over the course of 17 years, Paulette taught hundreds of students of varying abilities with ages ranging from pre-school to senior citizens. She also learned what it meant to be an Entrepreneur, one who assumes all the risk and responsibility. In addition, she fine-tuned her skills of being able to assess and address the needs of each and every one of her clients.

Maintaining a large roster of piano students, Paulette attended Loyola University Chicago where she completed her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. In addition, she became the School Music Teacher and Coordinator for St. Paul Lutheran School. Once again, she had the opportunity to further develop her communication and leadership skills by directing the many all school programs and musicals, which incorporated all 180 students.

Paulette's love of teaching was outweighed by her love of serving society when she was recruited to become Associate Director of the J.F Maddox Foundation in Hobbs, NM. The Foundation’s mission was to assist United-Way member organizations, educational initiatives, and economic development projects.

The desires of her heart and the needs of her family brought Paulette home to Wisconsin in 2003 where she resumed teaching piano.

At 21st Century Preparatory School in Racine, WI, she taught approximately 350 students each week in their state of the art piano lab in the role of General Music Teacher. She also served as a Teaching Assistant under the Wisconsin Reading First Grant.

Provided the opportunity to return to school full-time in 2005, Paulette attended the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting.

Paulette lives in Kenosha a few blocks away from her recently widowed father. Between the two households, Paulette tends to two dogs, two cats, and several aquariums of tropical fish. She has a great network of family and friends, and the many students she has taught throughout the years.

Paulette Garin, Candidate for Wisconsin’s First Congressional District Courage and Hope for the Future

2008 elections
Garin was seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), but lost a primary to Marge Krupp on September 9, 2008 by only 5% of the vote and at approximately 1/10th cost of the nominee.

Committees
Garin will be assigned committees if and when she is elected to Congress.

Affiliations
Paulette currently serves as State Coordinator for PDA - Progressive Democrats of America

and

Wisconsin Coordinator for the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care - The National Single Payer Alliance

Contact
Paulette's Blog

Official Garin for Congress Website

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 2008 U.S. congressional elections
 * 2008 U.S. congressional election dates
 * Portal:Wisconsin and the U.S. Congress

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District
 * Official Garin for Congress Website