2025-2026 Runoff Election
Note Candidate photos, flyers, statements (pending an optional, one-time revision), and links are all added, as well as video statements and Q&As for citywide candidates who participated. Candidate statements/flyers are not UTLA’s statements/flyers. UTLA does not edit, censor, or endorse any of them.
Contested
2025-2026 UTLA Treasurer Runoff
Lourdes Quevedo
I am endorsed by Gloria Martinez, UTLA President-Elect, Alex Orozco, our re-elected Secondary VP, and the Educators Organizing for Power (EOP) caucus. With your vote, I hope to join them as UTLA Treasurer. I am the only candidate who is elected to the UTLA Board, giving me critical experience for city-wide office. I am the candidate who not only has treasury experience, but combines this with super-majority organizing and worksite wins. A treasurer doesn’t just count money - she builds budgets to win. I am the candidate with a vision for UTLA to remain financially stable, able to deal with financial emergencies, protecting membership data from cyberattacks, maintaining investments, fighting off anti-union attacks, and building member density.
I am a current classroom science teacher, chapter chair, steering committee member, Immigration Justice Lead, and Valley West Board member. I organized a super-majority at Monroe HS to become a Community School. I led a district-wide super-majority campaign across Community Schools to win PD autonomy. I empowered members through trainings on contract enforcement, which are now presented citywide. I grieved and won, stopping LAUSD from implementing ETO recommendations which violated our contract.
With expanded budget purview at Community Schools, I have helped Monroe HS students, parents, and staff understand and be included in the budget process. We have transformed to meet the needs of students and community. In Valley West area, I have led in aligning our budget with the goal of maximizing chapter power.
EOP will:
- Win big on salary, healthcare, working conditions, and Special Education
- Fight federal attacks and ICE raids
- Enforce the contract, fight mandates and bad principals
- Center racial and social justice
- Include all of you
I appreciate your vote, and please support EOP members Jennifer Anderson (West), Vicky Montes (East), and Victoria Casas (VE) for area chair. Thank you.
Statement
Q&A
Denisha Jordan
My name is Denisha Jordan, a 23-year educator, organizer, and current UTLA/NEA Service Center Treasurer, and I am asking for your support to serve as UTLA Treasurer.
As educators, we advocate every day for our students, schools, and profession. Our union should reflect that same level of integrity, transparency, and commitment when managing our collective resources.
Throughout my career, I have organized at every level of our union. At my school site, I helped organize members around unsafe facilities, dangerously high PE class sizes, the removal of a bully principal, the removal of a large co-located charter, and the transition of our campus into a community school.
As the statewide organizer for the We Can’t Wait campaign, I have organized with unions across California to help win the contracts educators, students, and communities deserve.
As a National Delegate to NEA, I advocated for differently abled members and marginalized groups, helping advance more inclusive policies and practices.
As PACE Treasurer, I helped secure funding for successful school board races and pushed for greater transparency in spending and endorsement processes.
As the elected UTLA/NEA Service Center Treasurer, I have prioritized budget transparency, worked directly with UTLA finance staff to strengthen financial processes, and increased funding for members to attend CTA conferences.
As a member of the CTA Budget Committee, I helped win funding to support parents with young children attending CTA conferences, expand organizing resources, and strengthen school board election support.
As Treasurer, I will ensure responsible budgeting aligned with member priorities, strengthen fiscal accountability, invest in organizing and member engagement, and help grow our union’s strength.
Together, we can ensure UTLA’s resources build the power our members need to win.
Endorsed by UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz, Secretary Jen McAfee, Elementary VP Maria Miranda, & former UTLA Treasurer Arlene InouyeStatement
Q&A
2025-2026 East Area Chair Runoff
Marcela Chagoya *Area Chair Candidate
EXPERIENCE:
Parent - 3 LAUSD Students
Successfully Bargained and WON before LAUSD our PAID Prep Days
10 Years - National Education Association (NEA), Representative Assembly Elected Delegate
9 Years - California Federation of Teachers (CFT), Elected State Delegate
9 Years - California Teachers Association (CTA), State Council Elected Delegate
8 Years - CFT, Special Education Services Committee, Chair
7 Years - UTLA Facebook Page Administrator
6 Years - CTA, Civil Rights in Education Committee Member
5 Years - AFT-Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Committee Appointed Member
5 Years - UTLA, Board Director ~ East
4 Years - AFT, National Convention Elected Delegate
3 Years - UTLA Special Education Committee Member
3 Years -CFT, EC/TK12 Division Council, So CA Region, Vice President
2 Years - UTLA, American Federation of Teachers (AFT)1021 VP
2 Years - UTLA PACE Committee Member
2X - UTLA Bargaining Team Member, (currently serving)
2 Years - CTA, Special Education Committee
Vicky Montes *Area Chair Candidate
I am running for Area Chair because I want to lead as I campaigned, by listening to members. I was elected Director, Chair of Secondary Committee, Chapter Chair because I commit to strengthening UTLA for all members. I am the only East candidate endorsed by President-elect Gloria Martinez who shares her vision for UTLA. As Chair I plan to:
Enhance our current organizing structures to meet the needs of all members
Empower all Chapter Chairs to enforce our contract with training, supports, and area campaigns
Create a database tracking contract violations and bully principals
Provide space for itinerants, adult ed, and EEC members needing area support
Identify and mentor emergent UTLA leaders
Continue to represent and push a more progressive agenda with our state and national affiliates
Join UTLA President-Elect Gloria Martinez, Secondary VP Alex Orozco, former President Alex Caputo-Pearl, in voting for me for East Area Chair and Lourdes Quevedo for Treasurer!
2025-2026 West Area Chair Runoff
Noah Lippe-Klein *Area Chair Candidate
My name is Noah Lippe-Klein and I am in my 27th consecutive year as a classroom teacher at Dorsey. I am the only candidate for West Area Chair who works in a school.
Members know me as a committed teacher, leader, and organizer. I’ve been a key strategist in UTLA’s fight for BSAP and marginalized students.
I have been part of building a different kind of union leadership that:
- prioritizes racial and economic justice
- wins big on pay, benefits, and staffing
AND I have a leadership style that:
- listens to members
- builds relationships with members
- encourages questions and feedback to build a more democratic union
- supports new members to become active leaders
- promotes school site organizing
I am endorsed for Area Chair by Cecily, Georgia, Arlene, Julie and our newly elected West Board Members Noriko Nakada and Maria Lopez. They know that with my leadership, West Area can be a powerful force in UTLA.
Please also vote for Denisha Jordan, the visionary officer we need in UTLA.
Jennifer Anderson *Area Chair Candidate
I am a 21-year educator and currently serve as your UTLA West Area Chair, with 11 years of experience on the Board of Directors. Over the past three years, we have made meaningful progress—making our schools safer, more collaborative, and more socially and racially just. Together, we have removed ineffective principals, strengthened school safety plans, and elevated the voices of educators, students, and families.
I believe deeply in the power of collective action. I worked to ensure every school has strong representation and a real voice in decision-making. Through our shared efforts, we have advanced critical campaigns and empowered our communities. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and if re-elected, I would be honored to continue this important work.
Join UTLA President-Elect Gloria Martinez, Secondary VP Alex Orozco, former President Alex Caputo-Pearl, and West BOD member Marie Germaine in voting for me for West Area Chair and Lourdes Quevedo for UTLA Treasurer.
2025-2026 Central Area Chair Runoff
Claudia Rodriguez *Area Chair Candidate
I am Claudia and have taught in LAUSD for 32 years in K-5 grades. I became a Board of Director to support my Central and learn all about organizing school leaders. During each year I was able to learn and grow in multiple capacities outside of my BOD position.
I am now ready to lead Central and help new leaders learn how organize their school site.
Central Area... we are a powerhouse and cannot let our power diminish. We know that experience is important; we must continue growing our strength with current and new chapter leaders.
We are ready to:
- Fight for lower class sizes, health care, a well-deserved pay raise, Special Ed, Early Ed
- Call for accountability by the district
- Represent and defend the interests of all union members
- Empower and support chapter chairs/members through one-on-one contract discussions, problem solving school sites issues, and organizing against charter colocations and abusive principals.
David Feldman *Area Chair Candidate
Thank you Central Area for making me the number one vote getter in the first round of the UTLA elections. I am ready to lead Central Area as your area chair. I am currently the chapter chair at Santee Education Complex, a Central Area Board of Director, Central Area Steering Committee member, bargaining team member, Central Area PACE Representative, been the UTLA Human Rights Committee Chair, UTLA House of Representatives member, and a delegate to CFT, CTA, AFT, and NEA Conventions. I have also organized around social justice issues important to our students and educators outside the classroom such as immigrant and LGBTQ rights. I have been an organizer and fighter inside and outside of our union. I want to bring an organizing mindset to the role of area chair.
As area chair I want to help chapter chairs organize members at their schools around issues important to them. Central Area needs advocates and fighters. That is what I am. I would be proud to serve you as Central Area Chair.
2025-2026 Valley East Area Chair Runoff
* indicates that the candidate is also running for Area Chairperson
Victoria Casas *Area Chair Candidate
I am running for area chair because we need someone who will fight for all members. I am the only candidate trusted and endorsed by our UTLA President-elect, Gloria Martinez, and Secondary VP, Alex Orozco, along with elected area and citywide leaders.
I will:
- Fight ICE and protect our communities
- Use area monies to support chapter chairs with paid trainings
- End recycling bad principals from school to school
- Support itinerants
- Stop unreasonable demands on our SpEd educators
- Fight hate speech and attacks on academic freedom
As a longtime director, elementary teacher and a woman of color, I believe representation is part of what we must address. In UTLA's history, our area has not had an elementary educator or a woman of color as area chair. I hope to be the first. I know what our members' struggles are because I've faced them for decades. I am excited to bring a collaborative and inclusive leadership to our area that will build leaders and power for decades in all our schools.
Scott Mandel *Area Chair Candidate
41 years teacher with LAUSD and UTLA
18 years Valley East Board of Director member
12 years Valley East Area ChairI’m running on my record of servicing the members of Valley East over the past 12 years as Area Chair. I have a history of addressing members’ problems within hours, and with my connections with the local district, I get them solved quickly. I have had a hand in, or directly influenced, the removal of THIRTY-THREE BULLY ADMINISTRATORS over the past 12 years. My primary goal has always been to serve the members of Valley East and solve their problems immediately.
I believe that our union is about service and accountability concerns. I believe that our union is about enforcing the contract at all times. I believe that our union is about unity and diversity.
If you like the work that I have done as your Valley East Area Chair, please vote for my reelection.
