Published May 5th, 2026
By GRIFFIN STEELY
After serving an illustrious 19-year career at Carmel High School, Lisa Brazil is retiring from her role as the principal’s secretary in June, leaving a void in one of the keystone positions in the school.
“There are just so many memories when you work in a place for so long,” says Brazil, who plans to leave at the end of the school year.
The role of principal’s secretary in the office goes beyond helping the principal and covers a broad range of responsibilities throughout the campus, from managing budgets to accounting for substitute teachers. Brazil also served as the Carmel chapter president of California School Employees Association from 2021-2024, working hard to improve the lives of classified employees—workers in the school that do not have teaching credentials or work in the administration department—throughout Carmel Unified School District.
“I started teaching English in 1984, and I worked in international education 2001,” says Brazil. “When my daughter was born I had to stop, so I opened a tutoring center in Pacific Grove and did that for a few years, and then I came here.”
Because the longtime secretary has spent so much time working in the office, the secretary has played an important role in aiding fellow staff members and keeping the school running smoothly.
“She’s very experienced and knows the history of the school as well as the ins and outs of how the district works,” notes CHS principal Libby Duethman. “For me, coming almost three years ago now to a new school district, she was able to provide me with a lot of information that maybe otherwise I would have had to experience before I really understood it.”
Lisa Brazil has played a vital role in connecting CHS from just outside the principal’s office. Photo by GRIFFIN STEELY
When Brazil retires, a gap will form that the next hire will take a while to fill, but Duethman is hopeful that the new secretary will be qualified and ready.
“There are a lot of very good people in our community that will respond,” the principal says. “People are aware that she’s retiring, and there’s been some people who have talked to me about the job already.”
During her career at the high school, Brazil has supported her fellow employees and helped the district improve, from working as the CSEA president to push reclassification of classified workers salaries to working with Duethman on campus beautification, something they both believe in.
Throughout the campus and in the office, Brazil has made a positive impact on the people who work at the high school.
“She supports us. I’ve been here 40 years in my job, and this is like an extension of family for me,” says CHS registrar Linda Galuppo. “She’s that go-to person for everyone in the office, including the admin–they all look to her for support and advice.”
Not only does Brazil take her job beyond her official tasks, but she also takes care of the whole office and provides a reliable and calm person that people can lean on.
“She keeps a team environment going here as much as possible,” says CHS health service technician Wilder Grummon. “We can cover each other and make our jobs more joyful. The staff will miss her when she leaves.”
Lisa Brazil will use her retirement to travel and explore the world, one of her favorite pastimes.
