Rosemary Palmer

Rosemary Palmer’s broad experience at home and abroad as a journalist and educator gives her a unique view on issues important to Americans.

A native of Wooster, Ohio, Palmer worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Wooster, Elyria, Ypsilanti (MI), and Columbus. She was also co-founder of Capitol News Services, covering state government for several daily and weekly newspapers in northeastern Ohio. Covering the Ohio General Assembly gave her a front-row seat in how an effective legislature works – cooperation and compromise to move forward on pertinent issues.

This first career taught her how government and public affairs works, offering insights in how cooperation between public officials can mean progress while demanding “my way or no way” means stagnation.

She is an English as a Second Language specialist, having taught English at Wuhan University in China in 1984, 1986-1988. She was assistant to the director of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, from 1989 to 1993. From 1993 to 2001 she designed and directed ESL programs at Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ., taking a small program of about 40 students to one of nearly 300 students.

This second career provided rich experience in international diversity and the need for cross-cultural sensitivity so students could move forward in their chosen fields.
Palmer served as director of non-traditional education at Lake Erie College from 2001 to 2003 and taught in Cleveland Municipal School District from 2003 to 2006, putting her knowledge of public affairs and cultural diversity to good use.

After the death of her son, Marine Lance Corporal Edward “Augie” Schroeder in Iraq in August 2005, she began speaking out about misguided and mismanaged public policy that led to continuing death of Americans and Iraqis. With her husband, Paul Schroeder, she co-founded Families of the Fallen for Change, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that has sought a responsible end to the Iraq War.

This work has brought her into the public eye throughout the United States and in lobbying Congress. Her work with Democrats and Republicans has brought her praise from Senators George Voinovich, Sherrod Brown, Vice President Joe Biden, and others, as well as several members of the House of Representatives.

Rosemary holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Ashland University, with a minor in Spanish. She holds a Master of Arts in education, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), from the Ohio State University and has done graduate work in journalism at Kent State University, education administration at Rutgers University, and distance learning at the University of Maryland. She is currently a graduate student at the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.

While in New Jersey, Palmer was elected to the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. She has served in church leadership roles in Columbus, Maplewood, NJ, and in Cleveland Heights.

In addition to her late son, Palmer also has a daughter, Amanda Schroeder, who lives in Morristown, New Jersey.