Elizabeth Graner
Elizabeth Graner was born in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the eldest of five siblings (and the first American-born grandchild) in a large Irish-American family. She attended Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she majored in English literature and anthropology.
After college and a handful of years working in Manhattan, Liz became a teacher in 1998 and has spent most of her career teaching senior English.
Leading the Social Action Club at Rahway High School, Liz worked collaboratively with the Rahway River Association to organize several cleanups of local parks. She and her students won recognition for the Water Champions program, a conservation education effort completed in cooperation with the EPA, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, AmeriCorps, and Rutgers.
She has also coached swimming, served as faculty adviser to the Outdoors Club, the school newspaper, and the Gay/Straight Alliance. Elizabeth mentored new and nontenured staff as a union liaison, and has been a union building representative for several years.
Elizabeth served as a Union County Democratic Committeewoman, was on the Rahway Housing Authority and Rahway Library Board. She has also served on the Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women and is a Governor's appointee to the Somerset County Board of Taxation.
Helping kids is Elizabeth's passion, and she was a proud volunteer with the Ridge High School Drama Boosters. She has volunteered for various political campaigns since moving to New Jersey in 1994, and has also run for State Assembly.
A graduate of Leadership Somerset, Emerge America candidate training, and Building One America leadership training, Elizabeth looks forward to utilizing these skills to run for the Bernards Township Committee. Elizabeth is also the former Chair of the Bernards Township Democratic Committee. She lives in Basking Ridge with her fiance Mike, their children Patrick (hers) and Annelise (his), and a Pointer mix named Orla.
Liz's SON, patrick
Liz’s mom, two of her aunts, and Liz’s “Pap Pap” shortly after emigrating from Ireland
Liz’s dad, his younger brother, aunt and two uncles
Liz’s grandmother’s border crossing card
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In 2021 Liz won the Gold Shoe Award for knocking on more doors than any other candidate in Somerset County during her run for State Assembly.
fun Facts
Among the many women in the political realm whom Liz admires, she reveres Shirley Chisholm, Mikie Sherrill and former NJ State Senator Loretta Weinberg. They’re all among her favorites.
Liz is an avid walker and wants to see more people in Bernards Township enjoying the outdoors! She proposes safer walking paths as part of her campaign and wants to create a bicycle advisory board to promote safety for our cyclists.
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