Elyse Paidas

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Elyse Paidas. As we near the election, I felt it was important that the community have a stronger sense of who I am and what drove my decision to be part of this process. I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the school board nominating committee for their recommendation of my candidacy to the Edgemont School Board.

I come to you today as a proud mother of two teenage daughters—now in 8th and 10th grades at EHS—who began their educational journeys in Greenville kindergarten classrooms. This personal connection gives me a vested interest in ensuring that the experience of every Edgemont student, family, and faculty member remains as highly prized as the Portrait of an Edgemont Graduate itself.

In my professional life, I lead a diverse team of professionals—from data scientists and AI engineers to healthcare policy strategists and health equity experts—and my responsibility is to build strategic cohesion and innovative solutions within this multifaceted group.

At heart, I am a communicator. This isn’t just my professional identity—it’s my nature. I thrive in navigating complex realities and bringing outside perspectives in to ensure our decisions are contextualized, thoughtful and impactful. My communication skills will be a critical asset I’ll leverage heavily as a board member, both in articulating ideas and, more importantly, in listening deeply to the needs of our community, bringing them forward and in turn, reporting back to the community some of the nuance inherent in district decision making.

While board membership isn’t about advancing personal agendas, progress requires engaged members who embrace brave thinking and question established patterns. I deeply understand that identifying opportunities for evolution is just one part of creating change. True transformation comes when there is a shared understanding of the pathways required to make change happen and the collaboration it takes to turn ideas into realities. This perspective will inform my approach as we navigate decisions together.

My approach to this role centers on three principles:

First, curiosity. I acknowledge that board processes and culture are new to me, and I’ll initially rely more on emotional intelligence than institutional knowledge. I promise to be a fast study and to approach issues with openness rather than preconceived notions.

Second, collaboration. This position isn’t about personal ambition but about advancing what’s best for our district, students, and faculty. Effective collaboration requires exceptional communication and superior listening skills—both areas where I excel and will contribute significantly.

Finally, commitment. I don’t take this responsibility lightly. I understand the time and mental energy required, and I’ve deliberately structured my life to accommodate a role that I believe will return as much as I invest in it.

Thank you in advance to my Edgemont neighbors for considering my candidacy.