McCrank for the 35th

Elizabeth McCrank was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, July 4th 1963. She grew up in Shorewood, a suburb on the east side of Milwaukee, and graduated from the University School of Milwaukee in 1981. While in school, she was an avid athlete and wrote for the student newspaper. She began working at the age of 16, busing tables at a local supper club to save for college. She earned a National Merit Scholarship, among other awards, and graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI in 1985, majoring in history. 

 

Earning a fellowship to Boston University, she attended graduate school there, continuing her studies in  history and cultural anthropology.  She taught at Boston University for nearly two decades. She also attend the oldest vocational “settlement” school in the country, the North Bennet Street School, earning a certificate in Cabinet and Furniture Making. That certificate led her to work in light construction and eventually in the marine industry as a carpenter and finisher. She pursued that line of work for nearly 8 years.

 

During the Great Recession, McCrank added ESOL credentials to her name and taught Adult Basic Education (ABE) for students pursuing Hi-Set (GED) degrees. On the side, she continued to teach history in the University of Massachusetts Community College System. Teaching adults and non-traditional students gave her a deep understanding of the challenges that those students face, and the amazing commitment so many Americans – including new Americans – make to their education and the future of our communities.

 

She has lived in Merrill, Wisconsin since 2015 – many people in the Merrill area know her from the years she worked at the T.B Scott Free Library – doing what she says was “the purest form of public service that I have ever provided.” She worked as a shelver, circulation assistant and Adult Reference Desk librarian while at the library. Many other people know her from picking up their taxes: she helps out in a friend's tax agency during the crush of tax season, helping to make sure that people are treated as well as possible during a process that many find deeply stressful.

 

Since 2020, McCrank has served on the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors – this year becoming the 4th longest serving supervisor on that board. She represents the 3rd district, in the City of Merrill, and enjoys getting out and around the district, meeting her neighbors and hearing their thoughts. 

 

Her work on the Lincoln County board includes serving on the Highway Committee, the Land Services Committee, the Social Services Committee, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Solid Waste Committee, and as the county appointee to the T.B. Scott Free Library Board. This wide range of experience at the level where most of the county work gets done has given her a broad understanding of the challenges the county faces and the hard work that the employees do.

 

She is a homeowner—and taxpayer—in Merrill, where she lives with a good natured dog and a lot of great neighbors. She currently works for UW-Madison as a state outreach specialist on local government leadership.