Lilia Neal

Secretary to Assistant Superintendent of Special Education
Folsom Cordova Unified School District
California Hub | USA

Lilia was born in the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (now Tajikistan), Soviet Union. After the fall of USSR, her family had to flee and migrate to Russia, where she spent her childhood and adolescence on the farm in a small Muslim community. She attended both schools- the state school during the week and the madrasa for girls (the Muslim religious school) on weekends. Since an early age, Lilia understood the value of education and a freedom of speech. With her love for reading and her curiosity to address the challenging topics, she loved expressing herself through storytelling in the local newspapers. Through raising animals, taking care of gardens and crops, and foraging in the woods, she gained a great appreciation of the land and a unique experience connecting to nature

In 2002, Lilia moved to the urban area, where till 2007, she was a political campaigner and activist, supporter, and organizer of the civic movements in the region and other parts of Russia. In 2005, she established and was elected for the Political Council as a Deputy of the regional party and, simultaneously, ran a Student Council at her college.

In 2007, Lilia graduated from the Faculty of International Relations of the Mari State University with a Master’s Degree in Business Linguistics and Business Communication Studies and subsequently migrated to USA. 

In 2016, Lilia joined an amazing team of Folsom Cordova Unified School District. She is a Secretary to Assistant Superintendent and provides support to the department of Special Education, serving over 3,000 students in a variety of programs. Additionally, as a Community Advisory Committee Secretary, she organizes trainings, meetings, and a variety of events for both communities, families, and students. As a Collaborative Bargaining Unit Negotiator for the district, she seeks equitable and fair agreements with California School Employees Association. As a non-profit President of PTSO, she organizes sports, educational, and music events in the community for her staff, businesses, families and, most importantly, students. As a Parent of two boys with autism, she advocates and supports and is a member of local and multi-county organizations for families and community members with disabilities.

Compassionate Systems makes a difference in her life at home and at work: the way she interacts with families, coworkers, businesses. She would like to share the passion for this work with her colleagues and families in her communities and inspire action for change.