Lisa Milicaj

Councilwoman Lisa Milicaj is the first Albanian American woman to be elected to office in New York State.

Born in New York to Albanian parents, Republican Councilwoman Lisa Milicaj is the first Albanian American woman elected to office in New York State. She sits on the Town Board of Pleasant Valley, New York, and is the owner of an insurance agency, a proud mother of three, and an involved citizen. Her nature as a child was to dream big but stay quiet and humble. Thrown into an arranged marriage at 18 years old, giving birth at 19 years old, and being on her own after the marriage went bad were just a few of the rough patches she transcended. Milicaj was able to get where she had always wanted to go through much sacrifice and determination. She attended college fulltime at night, worked full-time during the day, and tended to her kids while climbing the ladder quickly in the insurance business.