Gabriele Miller-Wagner: Board of Directors
Gabriele Miller-Wagner is a fan of Joe Namath and a champion of justice who has worked with the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies for the past decade, initially providing administrative support for the conference that evolved into her current role serving as conference co-coordinator, handling logistics for PCSS’ annual conference. Miller-Wagner also is responsible for PCSS event planning throughout the year and is a member of the PCSS Membership Committee. She has served the past year as recording Secretary of PCSS after winning the 2019 election.
As an administrator for the PBA Pro Bono Legal Services Department, Miller-Wagner fields thousands of requests for help from the poor over the course of each year, providing access to justice for the neediest among us. She also helps with the PBA outreach projects for veterans, connecting PBA members with Pennsylvania’s military veterans to provide free legal representation. She has received numerous awards for her work including the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Excellence Award which she will be honored with in March 2021.
Miller-Wagner goes above and beyond her job responsibilities at the PBA not only with her volunteer work for PCSS. In addition, she volunteers nearly 20 weekends each year to assist with the Wills for Heroes program, a statewide pro bono project of the PBA Young Lawyers Division that offers free basic estate planning documents for first responders, military veterans and their spouses. She currently is a program coordinator for multiple counties, stepping in to manage Wills for Heroes events for local bar associations without a volunteer member in that role.
Miller-Wagner has served as secretary at the Silver Spring Ambulance and Rescue Association since 2006. A former EMT-B Crew Chief, and still a certified EMT-B, she chairs its Public Relations, Grants and Hospitality and Morale committees and is a vice chair of the Recruitment and Retention and Subscriptions committees.
Miller-Wagner received an associate degree in paralegal studies from Harrisburg Area Community College in 1987. She received EMT-B Certification in 2005.
The Future of Social Studies
I am excited to run again for a leadership position with PCSS as its Recording Secretary.
These are unusual times for social studies educators in Pennsylvania. Social studies has been marginalized in many areas of our Commonwealth even as more and more research suggests that a vigorous social studies curriculum helps create the safe and caring school climate that improves all learning. I am excited to see the impact of Act 35 with its emphasis on civics and I strongly support local assessment of civic education and engagement in exciting ways.
I have worked very hard to make social studies come alive in Pennsylvania since first connecting with PCSS helping organize and support the annual conference. I have worked in many ways to support regional and statewide social studies conferences.
There is still much work that needs to be done as we build back from the pandemic. I know we can make PCSS an even more respected voice for social studies educators in Pennsylvania.