I’d like to give a public good luck and thank you to Lisa Pagano, who has worked hard often behind the scenes of the Nats office since the team came to town. She survived the trailers at RFK, ownership changes, the move to the new stadium and everything in between. You may remember she won “Woman of the Year” for her fundraising efforts for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this year. Now she is moving on from sports to work full time for LLS.
Lisa was my first friend in the Nationals organization, and yes, I consider her a friend. Had she not reached out and welcomed me and my silly video camera at a Winter Caravan stop, I would not have the larger network of people I consider friends who have come and gone through the Nats office and field (and those still there – Nadia, Bree, Katherine). I also would not be where I am today. So I am eternally grateful to her and respect her honesty, friendship and the challenges she has faced in her PR role for an MLB ballclub that has been through the turmoil the Nats have.
The one thing that has really pained me over the last 5+ years doing this is having to say good-bye to people. Players come and go, and with them relatives you may have come to know. Media members, front office personnel, ushers, concessionaires…. It’s never easy, especially when you don’t know if you’ll ever see those people again. Luckily, I do still see many of the people who have left.
So good luck to you Lisa in your new honorable adventure! I’ll miss you! But I’m sure we’ll run into each other again!