Nancy Lierman of Oakland-Craig is a fierce educator, mentor, coach, and friend. She has been a confidante and shared her expertise and experience as an educator and coach from the day I met her. Students and staff know they can depend on Mrs. Lierman to offer an encouraging word, a skillful and engaging lesson, or just an ear to listen. She challenges her students in her English classroom and inspires them to put forth their best effort. As a speech coach, she has built an amazing program which produces many state qualifiers and state champions in various categories. It is not unusual to find Mrs. Lierman preparing for her classes or helping her team well into the evenings. Her dedication to student's learning and success is top notch. As a colleague, mentor, and friend, Nancy has shown me immense support in first five years as an educator. Many times she has taken me under her wing and guided me in building relationships and enhancing my teaching practices.