Breaking Barriers: My Story of Education & Advocacy
Lisa Potter 
I was born and raised in Taiwan and came to the United States at the age of 11, knowing only three English words: "Hello," "Boy," and "Thank you." My mother, a single parent, had a vision for her children to achieve more than what societal norms dictated. She didn’t speak English and, armed with only a high school diploma, worked minimum wage jobs. Eventually, she learned to be an aesthetician and started her own small business.
With the help of friends and distant family, we settled in Flushing, NY. My brother and I were typical latchkey kids. At the age of 12, I was in charge of balancing the family checkbook. Despite these challenges, we knew that education was the pathway to a better life. I studied hard, took every IB and AP class offered at my high school, played on the volleyball team, and served as the secretary of the student government.
I attended Baruch College on a full scholarship and became the first Asian female president of the student government. In that capacity, I instituted the first school spirit day to foster more school spirit for a commuter school. With the guidance of my mentor, the head of career services, we created Baruch’s first Career Month, during which we invited professionals from various companies to share their career journeys. The experience was so impactful that it shaped my interest in careers in general and influenced my desire to be a career coach.
People often ask why I am so dedicated to volunteerism. While it can be challenging, the rewards go beyond monetary gains and are deeply fulfilling. Giving back to the community has nurtured me in many ways. I have grown significantly through my volunteerism and advocacy, shaping who I am as a person and a business leader.
We moved to New Jersey 20 years ago when I transferred from Bristol-Myers Squibb's New York office. Whenever I visited the New Jersey offices in Lawrenceville and Nassau Park, I was struck by the diversity of the towns. Also, I loved to shop at Wegman’s. For about a decade, we lived in West Windsor so that we were close to the train station for my husband’s long commute to New York. Before my son entered high school, we decided to move to Princeton because we wanted to live in a walkable town with a New York City lifestyle without being in New York. It has been a transformative decision. We have met wonderful friends, and our children are thriving at Princeton High School (PHS).
As a junior, it was challenging for my daughter to transfer, but we trusted that she would adapt well. She continued cheerleading, remained active in clubs, and took full advantage of PHS's offerings. We are so proud that she will be attending Cornell University. I hope that all the visits to Ithaca while I was working on my second master's degree at the Industrial Labor Relations school had some influence. My son, a rising junior, is thriving both academically and athletically. One of the best decisions we made was enrolling him in football during his freshman year. He used to spend hours playing video games, but now he prefers to lift weights. I serve as a booster officer because I want to give back by helping to provide more resources for our students.
In summary, like all parents, we just want our kids to do better than we did. Princeton Public Schools will be critical in making that possible for more families. I am running for the Board of Education to continue shaping our schools so that we can develop the next generation of leaders. Princeton has given my family so much, and I want to ensure that every child has the same opportunities to succeed and thrive.
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