2022-2023 Election Candidates
See the results of this election.
Jump to section: Citywide Officer | Area Board of Director | Special Categories Director
Candidates for Citywide Officer
Candidates for Citywide office need to win with a 50% plus 1 majority vote. If no candidate has a majority, there will be a run-off in the Second Round.
Note Candidate photos, flyers, statements, and links are now 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
2022-2023 UTLA President
Greg Russell
Don't believe what I say but do VERIFY what I say.
UTLA would be greatly improved if all members practiced this on all leaders.
Educators have a sad history of trusting others at the cost of their 403 (b), https://latebloomerwealth.com/about-us/.
Educators are also likely overworked, underpaid, too stressed and time constrained to practice verification.
We are the perfect population to be taken advantage of.
UTLA consistently elects poor leaders.
Did you vote after using critical thinking or did you ask someone that was active for their opinion?
What leaders warned you that the United Teacher had been unconstitutionally halted?
What leaders warned you that our constitution had Article VI, section 2b removed without any vote taken?
I warned the House of Representatives (HoR) of them both in October 2019.
At the 2 Constitutional Amendments Forums, I asked that the membership get email/phone blasts about them, get to vote on them, get contact information of the HoR members. Your leaders didn't act. You've lost control of UTLA.
I think my getting AFT involved got us the contact information of the Board of Directors (BoD.)
You should be influenced by actions of the individual - not their words or the prestige of their office.
Last year, I was personally attacked and called names. Cecily appointed Ingrid Gunnell to enforce order. Ingrid never called these people, including Julie Van Winkle, to order. Instead, she joined in the name calling.
This toxic atmosphere is perfectly described from 5:23 to 9:37, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001fmtz.
Almost 2 years ago I warned the HoR that UTLA's Members Only Facebook Group had expelled me and other critics without due process.
Consider joining Unofficial UTLA Discussion Group on Facebook.
Ask your chapter chair how to join my private website.
The Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) was instrumental in ending rampant union corruption.
UTLA must stop wasting $ thousands monthly on lawyers to avoid the LMRDA.Statement
Q&A
Leonard Segal
I look forward to making a difference in the lives of all of you who do so much every day to make a difference in the lives of our students. I have a plan to get you the highest pay increase in the history of UTLA, protect your job and make teaching fun and rewarding.
Hello. My name is Leonard Segal, candidate for President of UTLA.
Everything in my life has prepared me to be the best President that UTLA needs at this time. Starting with my background in business, journalism, psychology and personal development, before I started my 27 years of teaching and 22 years as an activist in UTLA. I have learned from and stay intouch with past leaders of UTLA that got us a 54% pay increase in 6 years and did the best at protecting members from abuse.
The problem with UTLA has been all the people who have gotten elected but didn’t know how to do the job. If you are happy with your pay and feel protected at your school, there is nothing you need to do.
But if you aren’t happy with not getting any more money after a 7 day strike and don’t feel UTLA is protecting your rights, you will have to vote for change.
I have assembled the United Team for Change who at every position have the actual experience to do the job they are running for. Go to UT4C.com for a comparison. Every year I will bring more people back that have done the best job of protecting your rights, stopping abusive working conditions and got us the highest pay. With your vote we can return to fighting for Your pay, Your job, Your benefits, Your Retirement, & Your Professional Respect!
I am also the only one with a plan to protect you from being replaced by new AI tech and instead use it to create new funding streams to increase teacher pay and retirement, improve student learning, test scores, enrollment, attendance and make teaching and learning fun for you and your students.
Tell everyone to join the United Team for Change and vote to improve Your pay, Your job, Your benefits, and Your Retirement! UT4C.com
Statement
Q&A
Cecily Myart-Cruz
UTLA family,
I am Cecily Myart-Cruz and I’ve had the pleasure of serving as your president over the last three years. It has not been easy on any of us as we continue to move in and through the pandemic. Thank you for your service. I am grateful for all of you weathering that ever-changing terrain in the district and beyond on behalf of our babies. But I expected nothing less because that is who we are as educators. Together, we have won the strongest Covid protections in the nation, a straight 5% and bonus outside of full contract bargaining. We have expanded the bargaining team, including your voice from the beginning, which helped shape the direction of our union with our contract demands.
Our contract campaign is ambitious, bold, and unwavering, because it states what we fundamentally believe and know is attainable. We must demand better working conditions, student learning and living conditions too and an actual pay raise so that our educator colleagues only work one job in this District.
UTLA is a fighting union because of our members. I want to continue what we have started. We are changing the narrative of public education, locally, statewide, and nationally. To do this, we must build power at our school sites, increase curriculum autonomy, advocate for public education and fight for racial and social justice on behalf of our students.
I am the only candidate with experience at every level in our Union and did so teaching full time as an elementary teacher and later as a middle school teacher. I miss teaching and learning from our young people every day. They are who inspire me to advocate with passion for the schools our students deserve. I am glad to be running with the Unity and Strength team. These dynamic women are current leaders in their schools and areas. They led during the pandemic at school sites like you. They are ready to lead on day 1. I humbly ask for your vote for myself, Denisha, Rosa, Julie, Georgia, Maria and Jennifer. Thank you.Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA NEA Vice President
Laura McCutcheon
Do you want YOUR UNION to work FOR YOU? Vote LAURA ESCAMILLA MCCUTCHEON for NEA VICE PRESIDENT, making a CHANGE SO UTLA WORKS FOR YOU! As an awards-winning Social Justice Educator I am PREPARED to PROTECT YOU & YOUR RIGHTS! As the MOST empathetic & inclusive candidate elected by YOU I REPRESENT YOU IN NEA RA for nearly 2 DECADES! My pre-teaching accounting-tech career & Negotiations Masters Degree make me MOST QUALIFIED to do the work with diverse stakeholders to bargain expertly, guarantee UTLA dues-paid SUPPORTS & improve YOUR working conditions. Teaching 28 years, an 18-year inner city Chapter Chair with BCLAD, NBCT, & Instructional Leadership Certificates, I work to advance YOUR autonomy, critical & culturally diverse pedagogy, community-home-school-union bonds, & member-driven, paid PD. As the MOST EXPERIENCED EDUCATOR OFFICER CANDIDATE, REPRESENTING YOU in AFL-CIO & ALL local, state, & national bodies; PACE; AAEC; Central & GALIC Steering Committees; & UTLA Women’s Ed. Standing Comm. Chair, I know firsthand YOUR burnout & work overload! I HEAR, RESPOND TO, & SERVE YOU to increase LAUSD-UTLA accountability, transparency & stakeholder-driven decision-making. STOP current top-down union manipulation! With compassion for ALL members, Itinerants, Arts, EEC, HHS, Librarians, Special Ed, & Subs, I will SERVE & SHIELD YOU from any daily campus abuses & challenges YOU face. United Team for Change will BUILD A BETTER UTLA, SUPPORT YOU by enforcing YOUR CONTRACT & adding UNION SERVICES to organizing. To lift YOUR VOICES, I will make elections visible, as ONLY 10% elected current leaders! Let’s TAKE BACK your stolen voices, YOUR UNION! Return power to UTLA's House of Reps! JOIN UNITED TEAM FOR CHANGE & MAKE UTLA WORK FOR YOU, YOUR JOB, YOUR PAY, YOUR BENEFITS, YOUR RETIREMENT, & YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPECT! Leading in SOLIDARITY & working with INTEGRITY for YOU & more democratic, member-driven solutions, so TEACHING & LEARNING can be JOYFUL again! MEET US at UT4C.com!
Statement
Q&A
Georgia Flowers Lee
Hello UTLA siblings, I am Georgia Flowers Lee and I am running to be your UTLA/NEA vice president. I have spent the past two decades working with students who have exceptional needs as a special education classroom teacher. I currently serve as the west area chair and have been in the trenches with you as we fought our way through the pandemic and all the challenges it brought. We fought and won strong covid19 protections, updated technology for our educators and a much-deserved raise, but our educators deserve more. Our students and their families deserve so much more.
UTLA is a fighting union and our Beyond Recovery platform lays out the things that we need and are willing to fight for. How do we win this fight? We need a team approach to:
- Build power at our school sites to enforce our contract, increase the strength of Local School Leadership Councils, empower chapter chairs and ensure that members have a voice in local decision-making.
- Ending the over-testing of students and increasing curriculum autonomy.
- Fighting against privatization and all the ways it negatively impacts our school sites including colocation and resource depletion.
- Centering racial and social justice as we advocate for our members, our students and our communities.
I am proud to be running with the Unity and Strength team. A team of women who have led in all the spaces they occupy. Women who have fought for and alongside their colleagues, who have taken on the powers that be for the powerless, who have stood in the gap. We are ready to continue our leadership and service. Vote for:
Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
Rosa Jimenez - Secondary Vice President
Maria Miranda - Elementary Vice President
Jennifer McAfee – Secretary
Julie Van Winkle – AFT Vice President
Cecily Myart-Cruz – President
Georgia Flowers Lee – UTLA/NEA Vice President
Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA AFT Vice President
Julie Van Winkle
I am the current UTLA Secondary VP, and I am running for AFT VP. I am one of the Bargaining Team leads. During my term in office, I worked hard to help win UTLA the strongest pandemic bargaining agreements in the country, and I hope that you will give me the opportunity to continue to lead our negotiations as we escalate our Beyond Recovery campaign. I believe that this time in history is crucial for our union and for the progressive movement.
As AFT VP, I want to increase the UTLA presence at County Fed meetings and in our affiliate spaces. Since UTLA is such a progressive union, it can sometimes seem like the affiliate work is disconnected from our local UTLA campaigns. I want to form networks with other progressive unions within the Fed, AFT and CFT to push those organizations to the left. I also want to organize our UTLA member-leaders internally, so that we distribute our work in a way that maximizes our potential to achieve more progressive policy – policy that fully funds schools and that paves the way for Medicare for All and Housing for All. We need policy that ensures that teachers can afford to live and buy homes in the neighborhoods in which they teach, and that our students and their families can afford to remain in the city of LA, in their home neighborhoods, attending high-quality public schools.
My team, Unity & Strength, is the team we need to lead us through this crucial time. We are a team of experienced women who have committed to work together to lead our union to what could be the biggest victories we have ever seen: smaller class sizes, significant salary increases, full implementation of Community Schools and BSAP, and more. THIS IS THE TEAM WE NEED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. DENISHA JORDAN is running for Treasurer. ROSA JIMENEZ is running for Secondary VP. We need to elect Rosa, Denisha and the entire Unity & Strength team so that we can lead with a shared vision and transform our profession in a way that empowers educators and communities.
Statement
Q&A
Midsanon 'Soni' Lloyd
Under my leadership, we will take our union back from disconnected labor bureaucrats who stifle dissent, allow working conditions to deteriorate, and abet the privatization of public education. Every year additional duties are imposed on teachers, support decreases, administration becomes increasingly unaccountable, and LAUSD approves more private charters-they are now the #1 charter authorizer in the nation. Despite our strike, these injustices continue. As UTLA AFT Vice President, I will democratize our union and organize us to:
WIN A TRUE TEACHER'S CONTRACT
Just wages with annual cost of living adjustments and paid maternity leave
Secure healthcare and retirement
Reduce workload
Increase staff
PD system that works for all teachers
Strengthen due process rights
Open negotiations of contracts
END PRIVATIZATION
School Board that proactively address the needs of communities instead of authorizing charters
Collect ALL fees from charters
Pursue legislation to abolish private charters
ACHIEVE FULL FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOLS
Stop budget manipulation of LAUSD and require them to spend all taxpayer funds on our schools.
ACTIVATE PARENTS AND STUDENTS
Invest in real community organizing based on working with the public on education policy and divest from sell-out politicians who abet privatization
Student unions are set up at every school, overseen by the new UTLA student involvement committee.
MY RECORD
Community organizer for numerous school site, contract, and legislative campaigns
Leading the ongoing campaign for annual COLA for teachers
Represent teachers as chapter chair and on House of Reps
Founder of new caucus, CORE-LA, to re-prioritize working conditions
Vote UT4c.com to make UTLA work for professionalism, Your job, Your pay, Your benefits, & Your Retirement! Contract enforcement, member-driven solutions, & member services!Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Elementary Vice President
Maria Miranda
My name is Maria Miranda, I am a part of the Unity & Strength team and I am running for Elementary Vice President. 23 years as an educator and 11 years as a union leader have prepared me to lead our union as the next Elementary Vice President.
I began my work with UTLA as a Miramonte E.S. Chapter Co-Chair 11 years ago. Since then I have served on the South Area Steering Committee, the expanded bargaining team, the PACE Committee, on the UTLA board, in the House of Representatives, and been South Area Chair for the last six years. Every leadership position has been unique and has prepared me to now serve you as the next Elementary Vice President.
I have organized campaigns with educators and parents on school site issues, to push back against unreasonable administrative demands and to expose lemon principals. I have supported chapter chairs in starting Local School Leadership Councils. With South Area chapter chairs, I have led multiple parent meetings to mobilize parents in support of our bargaining campaigns and school site campaigns.
I will fight for a greater educator voice in curriculum development and for a culturally relevant curriculum. I will continue our fight for racial and social justice. As a Community School Coordinator I have seen first hand how this work benefits our school communities. I commit to organizing our members to increase the number of community schools in our district.
Together with school communities I have organized multiple campaigns to stop charter school co-locations. We as a union must continue being on the forefront of protecting public education and protecting our communities from the privatization and profiteering of education. This prioritizes electing UTLA endorsed school board members .
Please vote for myself, Maria Miranda for Elementary Vice President and for the Unity and Strength Team, Denisha Jordan, Georgia Flowers Lee, Rosa Jimenez, Jennifer McAfee, Julie Van Winkle, and Cecily Myart-Cruz.
Thank you!
Statement
Q&A
Tracey Schroeder
Why vote Tracey Schroeder for UTLA Elementary Vice President?
Our teachers are overworked, burned-out, underpaid, and just plain frustrated. I am ready to work to change the direction of UTLA and put teacher needs first. I am fully qualified and committed to ensuring representation for you, to be YOUR NEW VOICE for CHANGE to meet the needs of our members. I want YOUR dues to work for YOU. It’s time to LEARN from our past experience. We need a United Team that understands our work as educators, and who will stand and fight for YOUR PAY, YOUR JOB, YOUR BENEFITS, and PROTECTING YOUR PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS.If elected for Elementary Vice President, I will work tirelessly to find workable solutions for our classroom/professional issues:
-inadequate pay
-staffing crisis
-lack of itinerant, substitute, and special ed. support
-needless over-assessments
-displacement/layoffs from declining enrollment
-unreasonable administrative demandsI am a 25-year-highly-qualified veteran teacher and UCLA graduate (B.A. degree in Communication Studies; master’s degree in Psychology, from Phillips Graduate Institute, Art Therapy), running to be your Elementary Vice President. Because I value our labor and public education, I have served as Chapter Chair, as NEA/RA State Delegate, and ran for LAUSD Member of the Board of Education District 4 against Nick Melvoin in 2022 and received over 36,000 votes.
Join me at United Team for Change to learn more about our highly qualified candidates and voter guide - so that UTLA WORKS for YOU, YOUR job, YOUR pay, YOUR benefits, YOUR Retirement, YOUR Professional Rights and Respect, so that teaching and learning can be a joy again.
Vote for: Tracey Schroeder for Elementary Vice President, putting teaching needs first.Visit: UT4C.com
Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Secondary Vice President
Alex Orozco
Before elected to UTLA leadership 9 years ago as a director for Valley East and then UTLA Treasurer, I was a chapter chair and I remember the struggles that our members were facing. UTLA was on the brink of a financial collapse, weak, and unproductive!
Since 2014, we’ve transformed UTLA into a powerful union. Our historic strike gave way to victories in salary, class size, better conditions, common good and the removal of Article 1.5. The power we built led to winning the strongest COVID safety protocols in the nation and had an impact in the last school board election.
As Treasurer, I’ve worked with two officer teams to make this possible and look forward to continuing to do so again. I have negotiated and won healthcare, created strong and strategic budgets that included investing in media, protected our membership against Janus, ensured work and pay for substitutes. I’ve worked with members to address concerns like co-locations, Community Schools, BSAP, wildfires, and grievances.
As Secondary V.P, I will build on my experience as an UTLA officer and the two decades of teaching experience to empower and support educators to address city-wide and school sites issues. I will take on LAUSD and Carvahlo!
I also bring a perspective that’s rooted me in social justice! As an immigrant child having to move from school to school because of our housing insecurity, that went on to be the first to graduate from college and parent to two LAUSD grads, I can identify with what many of our students and members go through. Being married to an elementary teacher also grounds me daily to the struggles of the classroom!My tenure as officer, perspective, experience and ability to work with everyone makes me the best candidate!
I’m proud to have the endorsement of Alex Caputo Pearl and leaders across all areas of UTLA.
VOTE FOR EXPERIENCE AND PROVEN LEADERSHIP!Vote for Alex Orozco for Secondary VP and Gloria Martinez for Treasurer. The team that is ready to lead on day one!
Statement
Q&A
Rosa Jimenez
I work at the UCLA Community School, I am a Board of Director and Area Chair. As a single mom to a 9th grader, fighting for a transformed public education system is deeply personal. At the UCLA Community School, I led work around culturally relevant curriculum, building distributive leadership, creating alternative assessments, and building strong parent and student relationships. As part of Students Deserve, I organize alongside parents and students AGAINST the criminalization of Black and brown students and FOR a vision that meets the needs of the whole child. I represented Students Deserve and UTLA in the founding of Reclaim Our Schools Los Angeles and was a member of the steering committee that helped build a powerful labor-community partnership. I am the co-chair of the Community Schools Steering Committee, overseeing the expansion of community schools. As an Area Chair and core bargaining team member, I led our union through a pandemic and have expanded our steering committee and strengthened our clusters. As secondary Vice President, I will work to strengthen our school site's ability to fight for what our members need and assure that our union is a powerful vehicle for social and racial justice in the community. In order to do this, we must 1) Build power at our school sites to enforce the contract, increase the strength of Local School Leadership Councils 2) Increase curriculum autonomy, end the overtesting 3) Fight against privatization 4) Fight for racial and social justice by expanding community schools and BSAP. Our team will listen to members, build leadership and political education, and engage new educators in our union. We will strengthen and nurture our relationships with parents and community. We need a WHOLE team of officers that is ready and willing to move together on DAY ONE. That team is Unity and Strength: Cecily Myart-Cruz, Julie Van Winkle, Georgia Flowers Lee, Maria Miranda, Denisha Jordan, and Jennifer McAfee.
Statement
Q&A
Mark Muskrath
My name is Mark Muskrath, I’m running for UTLA Secondary Vice President: I want a strong UTLA that fights for educators and THEIR best interests: higher salaries, excellent benefits, professional respect and job protections. I want a UTLA that listens to and represents ALL members and their concerns.
As a classroom teacher in LAUSD for 24 years, I have been active in UTLA as a Chapter Chair, Member of the House of Representatives, and currently serve on the Board of Directors representing the Central Area. In my leadership roles, I have always wanted to serve and represent members to the best of my ability. In order to do that effectively, I have found that it is important to LISTEN to members. I have listened and what I have heard is that educators in LAUSD feel overworked, disrespected, and under represented. I want UTLA to improve the way it is serving its members, because they pay their dues every month and deserve nothing less than the best services and support from UTLA.
I want UTLA to remain relevant to its members by not only bargaining the best contract possible for them but additionally allocating the resources necessary to support Chapter Chairs so they can effectively defend the contract and its protections for all members against unsupportive administrators and unreasonable District policies.
Above all, UTLA must make a commitment to its members to obtain the highest salaries and best benefit package offered by any Public School District in the State of California. This will require focused leadership and effort. I am determined in achieving this important task.
Join me in supporting a strong executive team to lead UTLA: Leonard Segal, Laura McCutcheon, Soni Lloyd, Tracey Schroeder, Michele Middleton and Carrie Phu.
Check out UT4C.com for other candidates who will put educators' interests first!
In solidarity for a better future for public educators in Los Angeles
Mark Muskrath
Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Treasurer
Michele Middleton
My name is Michele Middleton,
I have been an active member of UTLA for 17 years.I stand for Integrity, Accountability, and Unity!
I am the ONLY candidate for Treasurer with financial experience. My former 24-year career in finance and expertise in book-keeping, and balanced budgets is vital given UTLA's multi-million dollar budget!
As UTLA Treasurer, I will be accountable to YOU by protecting every dollar YOU pledge as a member of UTLA!
When elected, I will steadfastly uphold the powers and duties of Treasurer as outlined in Article III, Section 6(D) of the UTLA Constitution:
1. To have official custody of all funds of UTLA.
2. To exercise general supervision over the receipt and disbursement of all funds
3. To serve as chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors.
4. To supervise the preparation of the annual budget, periodic financial reports, and the annual independent audit, as required by the Board of Directors and the House of Representatives.
5. To approve by their signature all expenditures of money approved by the House of Representatives and drawn on the Treasury.With my experience listening and effectively responding to the needs of educators, I will ensure that YOUR priorities, and those of the rank-and-file membership, are reflected in UTLA's annual budget each fiscal year. The process will be transparent and accessible to all members.
I've proudly represented members locally & nationally:
- Vice-Chair: School Site Council
- Impact/Restorative Justice Facilitator
- Grief Recovery Certified
- WASC Team
- State Delegate: NEA
I will defend YOUR wages, YOUR benefits, and YOUR working conditions!
Running with United Teachers For Change
making UTLA work for You, Your job, Your pay, Your benefits, Your Retirement!
Vote United Teachers For Change the slate putting Educators First!
Leading in solidarity ut4c.comYOUR voice matters!
Thank you for YOUR vote! Michele Middleton for UTLA Treasurer
Statement
Q&A
Denisha Jordan
Denisha Jordan, M.Ed., ATC
I have been a secondary PE teacher for 21 years. I made the choice to run for office because I believe that my team and I are able to be part of the change that needs to happen in UTLA. The Unity & Strength Team is a group of experienced leaders that includes two current officers, Cecily Myart-Cruz and Julie Van Winkle. I have been an active member and leader in UTLA for over a decade. I believe that my previous and current roles within UTLA have prepared me to lead as an officer.
As Treasurer, I will ensure that UTLA remains solvent by increasing our revenue through member recruitment and the leasing of vacant spaces within our building. I want to establish a process and system where every new hire (prospective member) is contacted and personally invited to join UTLA to ensure that new membership is a priority. I believe in building relationships with members in order to meet their needs and to strengthen our union.
As a LA Fed, AFT and NEA delegate, I understand the depth and importance of UTLA’s influence among our affiliates. My work with UTLA’s partner community organizations will help UTLA continue its work in social and racial justice. As Treasurer, I will ensure that UTLA’s racial and social justice priorities, beliefs and values are supported and reflected in our budget.
I believe in transparency and responsible spending. I believe that the rank and file should be part of the decision-making process within our union. As Treasurer, I want to provide opportunities for all members to understand the internal structures of our union, encourage more inclusion and involvement of rank and file members from every category (counselors, early ed, adult ed, special ed, substitutes, HHS, etc.), and have active recruitment for member involvement at the affiliate level through workshop and conference attendance.
I am trustworthy and ready to do the work. Please vote for me and the entire Unity & Strength Team.
Statement
Q&A
Gloria Martinez
I’ve had the honor to serve our members as Elementary VP for 6 years, and I am proud to be running for UTLA Treasurer.
Through our conversations, I’ve learned many lessons about the needs our members face daily. I’ve acquired skills that have helped us build campaigns to push back on top-down mandates such as Carvalho’s proposed calendar, how to work collaboratively with others to elevate issues, such as special education through our national campaign, Fulfill the Promise. Representing you on our bargaining team and leading us through our historic strike have been some of the greatest honors I’ve had as your officer.
It is these hard discussions we’ve shared that have prepared me to be ready to lead on day one in my new role. As your Treasurer, I will ensure that we are protected from anti-union attacks, that our membership be a reflection of our strength and continue building strong budgets that reflect our priorities.
For 6 years, I’ve had the opportunity to be mentored by some of the best unionist in the country. One of them being Alex Caputo-Pearl. I am proud to have earned his endorsement along with the endorsement of so many of you.
As a child of Mexican immigrants, I learned at a young age, from my parents, the power we as workers hold. As a student at Fishburn Elementary I recall helping my mother trim loose threads off of garments she brought home after a long day at work. These lessons instilled in me principles that define who I am as a woman, a teacher, an advocate and as elected officer of the second largest educators’ union in the country, whose members share similar backgrounds as mine and of the students we teach.
I look forward to taking on Carvahlo and the fight we have embarked on together.
And just like at school sites, experience and leadership matters.
This is why a vote for me for Treasurer and Alex Orozco for Secondary VP is a vote for EXPERIENCE and PROVEN LEADERSHIP. We are the team that will be ready to lead on day one.Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Secretary
Jennifer McAfee
I am a middle school English teacher and leadership advisor currently in my 24th year of teaching. As a classroom teacher, I experienced what it was like to virtually teach during a pandemic and then transition to in person instruction.
My experiences as an educator and different roles in UTLA have prepared me to be an officer who is ready to lead. Working at a school site has given me firsthand experience of the needs of our members and students and the need to win our current contract demands. My experiences with our union have provided many opportunities to grow as a leader while learning the UTLA organizational structures which are important as the secretary.
Being a chapter chair for 8 years to steering committee member and now the current Harbor Area Chair, have been integral in preparing me for this role. As Harbor Area Chair, I have created spaces for members' voices to be heard and believe in the importance of supporting chapter chairs and members with issues at their sites.
As secretary, I will ensure the voices of members are heard and valued. I will promote opportunities for members to collaborate and provide input. I will use my organization and communication skills to provide transparent, timely, and thorough communications regarding our union’s policies and procedures. I want every member to be informed and understand the structures and policies and how they can become involved in ways that are meaningful to them.
I have been a member of the bargaining team since January 2020 where I helped negotiate working and learning conditions for us during the pandemic. I am also a member of the HOR, a CTA state delegate, and a delegate for the NEA representatives assembly. All of this work has further grown my skills as an inclusive leader who is willing to collaborate with all members.
Vote for Jennifer McAfee for UTLA Secretary and the entire Unity and Strength team including all officer candidates: Cecily, Georgia, Julie, Maria, Rosa, and Denisha.
Statement
Q&A
Carrie Phu
What matters most to me is supporting your needs and being accountable to you. I am here for you!
My name is Carrie Phu, and I’m running for UTLA Secretary. I am ready to fulfill all duties utilizing extraordinary organizational skills. I will advocate for you as your UTLA Secretary. I am committed to upholding transparency and integrity in representing all union members with equity.
I will advocate for the following:
- A members-only searchable database of official business meeting records and minutes
- A UTLA directory where members can easily find Officers,
- Committees, Chairs, and Area Director contacts
- Be a liaison between you and the Officers within the scope and duties of my responsibility as a UTLA Secretary
- Chapter Chair & Teacher Recognition
Be assured I will uphold my intentions with the utmost diligence!
As a seasoned educator of 28 years, I understand the pressures and continuous responsibilities impacting teachers. I am LISTENING to your concerns and ADVOCATING for CHANGE. I am an NEA State Delegate and Chapter Vice-Chair. Equally important, I have repeatedly demonstrated my strong organization, computer-tech competency, and leadership skills, and am highly qualified to support you. I have prior experience as the School Site Council Secretary. I served for eight years as Chair of the Math Department and held an eight-year position leading the School for Advanced Studies program. I serve my fellow educators as the leader of the Pro-Learning Team. Please know that I am READY, prepared, and eager to perform the responsibilities and represent you as your UTLA Secretary. I am accountable to you.
Vote for United Team For Change, making UTLA work for YOU, YOUR JOB, YOUR PAY, YOUR BENEFITS, YOUR RETIREMENT, and YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPECT!!! I will lead in solidarity for member-driven solutions, contract-enforcing, and advocating for union campus services, so teaching and learning can be effective and FUN again. Please visit me at UT4C.com!
Thank you!
Candidates for Area Board of Director
For Board of Director positions, the three NEA candidates and the one AFT candidate with the most votes are elected. There are no run-offs. Elections for Area Chairs, if needed, will be held during the Second Round.
Note Candidate photos, flyers, statements, and links are now all added. Candidate statements/flyers are not UTLA’s statements/flyers. UTLA does not edit, censor, or endorse any of them.
Contested
2022-2023 North Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Rebecca Solomon
North Area has been my home for more than half of my 24 years in LAUSD and is where my kid attends school. The North team of Jasmine Wang, Jessica Rodarte, and Chris Wenell has worked over the last years to build a powerful participatory union. We are asking for your vote as we continue our focus on racial and social justice and strong school site chapters capable of fighting for member rights and community needs. In North, I have worked hard in our team to bring in more new chapter chairs and to support the building of CAT teams. Our area prides itself in member engagement, power, and leadership… and it shows in every meeting and space.
With your support, the Unity and Strength Team will continue to build a powerful organizing union that can win what students, communities, and educators need in this contract fight and beyond! Vote for Jasmine Wang for North Area Chair! Vote for the whole US Team - including Rosa Jimenez for Secondary Vice President and Denisha Jordan for Treasurer.
Chris Wenell
Your vote is an honor and a strong choice. I’m prepared to continue leading in North Area with Jasmine Wang, Jessica Rodarte, and Rebecca Solomon. Our team is diverse, organic, and experienced. We have worked hard to promote openness, fairness, and responsiveness in North Area.
I'm K-12 LAUSD with an IEP since 1st grade. I speak deftly from the perspective of a black man whose achievements in education and on the job have all been hard-won challenges. In addition, I also draw from my payroll and human resources experience in the legal industry to connect with and support members.
I explicitly model bridge building between Black, Brown, and Asian communities. Together we can protect teacher rights, counter misguided administrative initiatives, and reinforce our benefits.
Chapter chair has always been my most critical role in UTLA, working to harmonize relations between teachers and admin at schools.
Please vote Team US-- Jasmine Wang for Area Chair, Rosa Jimenez, and Denisha Jordan.
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Mark Ramos
I am a proud UTLA educator of 14 years and have been the North Area AFT Director for the last 6 years – up to and through the 2019 strike. I hope to have the honor of being re-elected to serve through this current contract fight! I was a UTLA chapter chair for 9 years on the Contreras and Roybal campuses, fought RIFs, am now at Franklin HS, and serve on the UTLA bargaining team. I have the honor of working closely with talented North Area cluster leaders and chapter chairs. I am also a proud LAUSD parent to a 2nd grader in North Area.
Before becoming a teacher, I was a full-time union organizer for 2 years in California, Minnesota, and Florida. I was also a community organizer in North Area’s Filipinotown and NELA neighborhoods for 15 years. I deeply care about the union, I work hard, and I have the experience to do the job well.
I hope to further strengthen our union alongside an experienced team: Alex Orozco for Secondary VP and Gloria Martinez for Treasurer!
Jasmine Z. Wang *
I'm a 9th year secondary social studies teacher at Downtown Magnets HS and current North Area Board of Director, cluster leader, and CAT member. Beyond being an educator and union leader, I am also a single mother of an LAUSD pre-teen, daughter of immigrants, Students Deserve organizer, and LAUSD graduate. Because of my background, this fight is deeply personal in that the fight for educators is also a fight for our kids. I put in the work to organize my son’s elementary school against co-location, organized my school site for the strike, and am now organizing clusters in North area. With the North Area and Citywide Unity and Strength team, I’m excited to continue the transformation of UTLA towards racial and social justice, building school site power, advocating for public education, and educator support and well being as the future North Area Chair and BOD.
I have worked with and learned tremendously from the passionate advocacy and organizing of Rosa Jimenez and Denisha Jordan!
2022-2023 East Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Yolanda Tamayo
Re-Elect UTLA East Area Board of Directors!
Working together to:
- Continue to support all East Area members at all school sites.
- Work with UTLA leadership on the strategic plan to continue standing strong and focused on our set goals.
- Be present at all Board of Directors, House of Reps, PACE, and Area meetings to keep all members informed!
- Work alongside Eastside Padres to organize parents and community members who support public education.
- Continue to work alongside and keep elected LAUSD School Board members accountable.
- Meet regularly with Region 4 East leadership to bring our issues to the local superintendent.
- Most importantly, listen to and be the voice of UTLA East Area members!
Re-Elect UTLA East Area. Board of Directors!
Working together to:
- Continue to support all East Area members at all school sites.
- Work with UTLA leadership on the strategic plan to continue standing strong and focused on our set goals.
- Be present at all Board of Directors, House of Reps, PACE, and Area meetings to keep all members informed!
- Work alongside Eastside Padres to organize parents and community members who support public education.
- Continue to work alongside and keep elected LAUSD School Board members accountable.
- Meet regularly with Region 4 East leadership to bring our issues to the local superintendent.
- * Most importantly, listen to and be the voice of UTLA East Area members!
Olegario Maravilla
My name is Olegario Maravilla. I have been a teacher for more than 28 years. In that time, I’ve taught special education and dual-language instruction classes, have worked in administration and as a parent coach, and have served on the UTLA House of Representatives.
I am proudly running for the NEA Board of Directors, East Area, I remain committed to addressing the issues that our members’ find most important. We are all aware of the intrinsic value that our members bring to public education, and as such, members’ needs must be chief among our priorities. I aim to do just that.
I am also running to not only represent NEA, but to strengthen and unify our coalition of members, parents, and students around our shared goals and values. Specifically, we must ensure that schools have the resources they need to succeed, such as counselors, psychologists, PSAs, and librarians.
I look forward to your vote for Board of Directors.
Adrian Tamayo *
Re-Elect UTLA East Area Board of Directors!
Working together to:
- Continue to support all East Area members at all school sites.
- Work with UTLA leadership on the strategic plan to continue standing strong and focused on our set goals.
- Be present at all Board of Directors, House of Reps, PACE, and Area meetings to keep all members informed!
- Work alongside Eastside Padres to organize parents and community members who support public education.
- Continue to work alongside and keep elected LAUSD School Board members accountable.
- Meet regularly with Region 4 East leadership to bring our issues to the local superintendent.
- Most importantly, listen to and be the voice of UTLA East Area members!
Antoine Taylor
Hello Dear Colleagues. It would be an honor to serve on the Board of Directors for the East Area. I have served both as a student and teacher for LAUSD. I am passionate about helping students in every capacity including special education, English learners, students experiencing homelessness, and minority students. I have experience as a Chapter Chair, served as a member of the House of Representatives, School Site Council, and LSLC.
As an elected member of the Board of Directors, I will fight to ensure their is comprehensive mental health support for teachers and students, provide teacher-led professional development for all educators, build a more inclusive and democratic UTLA("representation and collaboration"), ensure necessary support for Special Education teachers and students, and uplift the voices and experiences of our Early Education teachers.
I look forward to serving students and teachers alike if given then opportunity. I ask for your vote for Board of Directors.
2022-2023 West Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Noah Lippe-Klein
My name is Noah Lippe-Klein. I am a teacher at Dorsey HS, a member of Students Deserve, on UTLA’s Racial Justice Task Force, and on UTLA’s Bargaining Team.
I am fully committed to the fight for racial justice, helping our schools fight against charter co-locations, removing bad administrators, expanding mental health supports for our students, and building power among our 35,000 members so Carvalho is forced to concede to us around our contract demands, our health benefits fight and our broader vision for schools and communities.
I want to be part of building campaigns and organizing with you.
Please vote for: Marie Germaine, Jennifer Villaryo, Stacey Yakimowich and myself for West Area Board of Directors.
Also, please join me in voting for Cecily and the entire Unity and Strength Team:Cecily Myart-Cruz - President
Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA
Julie Van Winkle - AFT
Maria Miranda - Elementary
Rosa Jimenez - Secondary
Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
Denisha Jordan - TreasurerMarie Germaine
My name is Marie Germaine. I am an Autonomous Schools Coach, NBCT, and mentor teacher. I taught at Baldwin Hills Elementary for 23 years and served as chapter chair for 17 years. I am a UTLA Board Member and on the CTA State Council. The fight against co-location at BHE led me to organize parents, community members and teachers into a collective body that is Neighbors in Action for Baldwin Hills Elementary School. I am committed to building power in our schools and communities.
I am in this fight to win our BRP!I am looking forward to serving the members of UTLA for the 2023-2026 term!
Please vote for: Jennifer Villaryo, Stacey Yakimowich, Noah Lippe-Klein and myself for West Area Board of Directors.
Please join me in voting for the entire Unity & Strength team!
- Cecily Myart-Cruz - UTLA President
- Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA VP
- Julie Van Winkle - AFT VP
- Maria Miranda - Elementary VP
- Rosa Jimenez - Secondary VP
- Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
- Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
Ebony L. Batiste
I am running for West Area Board of Director. My mother was a teacher in Valley West and was a part of UTLA. She understood then that representation matters. The Board of Directors is more than just who runs your area meetings once a month on Wednesdays. It’s a part of a larger group of UTLA members who are the fiduciary body of our union. Out of the 50 BOD members, only a few are African-American. I believe, as did my mother, that representation matters. You know the old saying, "If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu." I want to continue to support teachers with bully principals, knowing the Ed Code and our contract inside and out. For 7 months I’ve been fighting for you as a member of the Bargaining Team. As the Prof Rights Cmte chair, being newly appointed to the Cmte of Credentials with the CTC, along with my work with the NEA, CTA, HOR, and the PACE EBoard, my board experience will be a valuable asset to our union. I want to be that voice that represents the teacher!
I am an 18 year educator with 15 years teaching in elementary school and chapter chair for 3 of those years. I have been a salary point adviser for 3 years. I have been on the West area Board of director team for 8 years combined and am excited to take the experience I have, along with my team of Noah Lippe Klein, Marie Germaine and Stacey Yakimowich into being the area chair for west area!
I have had the opportunity to serve in UTLA in many ways including, board of director, PACE Committee, hiring committees, grievance review committee, CTA budget committee, the bargaining team, CTA human rights cadre trainer and have been awarded the WHO award, CFT Pride of the Union Award as well as the unsung hero award.
I am committed to building power in our schools and communities, fighting for racial justice and continuing to organize our union to transform education in Los Angeles and with our co-conspirators around the globe. Please vote for Noah, Marie, Stacey and me, Jennifer Villaryo2022-2023 Central Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Christina Johnson
My name is Christina Johnson, I’ve been teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District for the last seven years and have been a UTLA House of Representatives member for the last 4 years. This is my first year outside of the classroom as an instructional coach. I'm running to be a Board of Directors member for the Central Area because I know there are other educators like me that don't feel like their voice is being heard, they don't feel like they have a seat at the table, and they don't feel like they are being represented in our union. I want to be that representation for folks who not only look like me but feel like me. As your area rep, I will fight to:
- ensure comprehensive mental health support for teachers and students.
- provide teacher-led professional development to all educators.
- build a more inclusive and democratic UTLA.
- ensure necessary support for Special Education teachers and students.
- uplift the voices and experiences of our Early Education teachers.
David Feldman
My name is David Feldman and I am running for Central Area Board of Directors. It would be an honor to serve UTLA members in The BOD. I believe that the members of our union will not only save LAUSD but help the district thrive. UTLA must fight for our members not only on a citywide level but at the school site level as well. We must push for a great contract but also uplift members so we can defend our rights at our workplaces. UTLA must inform members on how to defend their day to day rights on issues such as sick days, discipline policy, and strengthening Local School Leadership Councils. I believe that if we are able to show our members the value of UTLA on bread and butter matters the rank and file will unite and fight for social justice in our schools in all of LAUSD. I believe in the potential and power of UTLA and I want to help us become an even better union!
Linda Cardwell
I meet the qualifications for the Office of UTLA Board Member. Currently, I serve on the UTLA House of Representatives, and I have been an active member of UTLA for over 20 years. I have served in the capacity of UTLA Vice-Chapter Chair, and now I am serving as Chapter Chair. I have served, and I continue to serve on the Central Area Steering Committee. I have been a Central Area Cluster Leader for about 8 years. Various times, I have served on the UTLA Leadership Conference Committee, and I have served as a volunteer at different Leadership Conferences. City, state, and Federal leaders have recognized my commitment to education. I have received many awards and certificates from members of Congress and from State Representatives for my dedication to encourage, to motivate, and to inspire youth to succeed. UTLA honored me last year with the Unsung Hero Award. Leaders have told me that I make our Union and our communities strong. I meet the Bord of Directors qualifications.
Anibal Avila-Hernandez
My name is Anibal Avila-Hernandez and it has been an honor to serve as UTLA-Central Director for the last three years. I have also served as chapter chair at Normandie Elementary School for 5 years. I served both the House of Representatives and UTLA-Central steering committee for 4 years. As a director, I have worked with the rest of the UTLA-Central area team consisting of Stacie Webster, Claudia Rodriguez and Mark Muskrath to get rid of difficult principals. I’ve supported schools and members by building empowering structures such as Chapter Action Teams and Local School Leadership Councils. Additionally, myself along with the rest of the UTLA-Central team have made it a priority to be the voice of UTLA-Central members and to put UTLA-Central first. If elected, my priority is to continue to work as a team to establish structures at the school sites that will further empower members.
I urge all my colleagues in UTLA-Central to also vote for Claudia Rodriguez and David FeldmanClaudia Rodriguez
I Claudia Rodriguez, have taught in LAUSD for 29 years in K-5 grades and began to serve as vice-chair and later chapter chair since 2010. In 2016 I joined UTLA Central Area's Steering team and began working alongside previous Central Area directors. I have served as Director for the last 6 years and during this time is has been our goal to build "Central Area's Voice" by building, organizing, and strengthening each school site in Central. It has been an honor to represent and currently serve on the UTLA Leadership Conference Committee, House of Reps, the UTLA Constitution Committee, UTLA Budget Committee, Who Awards Committee, and this year's 2022 Bargaining team. At the state and national levels, I serve as a representative member of NEA, CTA and CFT. There is still much to do and I look forward to continuing to build, organize, strengthen, alongside our Central Area team.
Vote for Stacie Webster, Claudia Rodriguez, Anibal Hernandez and David Feldman!2022-2023 Valley East Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Nicole Patin
As a more than twenty year proud and enthusiastic member of UTLA, I have experienced the immense power our unity has created, and benefitted from the guidance and support of the amazing leaders who have encouraged me to seek leadership myself. I am Chapter Chair for over eighty 80 members, started our Local School Leadership Council, and helped lead us in our historic 2019 strike. Additionally, I serve in the House of Representatives, VE Steering Committee, PACE Committee, and our Expanded Bargaining Team. The education and insight I have gained are empowering and inspire me to seek your vote to serve as NEA Board of Director for Valley East. I want to amplify our power in the fight to win our Beyond Recovery Platform, and for the soul of public education for our students and for all educators. Join me and also vote for these experienced leaders: A. Orozco UTLA Secondary VP, G. Marrinez UTLA Treasurer, V. Casas NEA Director Valley East, L. Newsome AFT Director Valley East
My name is Lauren Gordon-Ruderman, and I am running for Board of Director for Valley East. I have been a loyal LAUSD educator and UTLA member for 17 + years, and am currently UTLA Vice-Chair for the Virtual Academy’s ISWL. To date, I have taught general and special education across grade levels and needs. Holding two credentials and an MA in SPED afforded me firsthand awareness of the joys and challenges of working as an LAUSD educator. I am aware of the issues that impact our teachers. If elected, I shall fulfill the essential responsibilities of the position, while passionately working to change conditions impacting our UTLA members. Additionally, I shall work with our United Team for Change as a unified voice committed to creating better outcomes for LAUSD employees. Our team is ready to seek results that resolve any issues compromising and/or threatening the job stability of our members. If entrusted with your vote, it would be an honor to serve you in these capacities. Thank you.
Victoria Casas
Since 2014, I’ve proudly served as a Valley East director and I’ve gained a deep understanding of how our union works and acquired experience in building campaigns city-wide and at school sites. In addition, I’ve served on the Core Bargaining Team since 2014 where I have represented you and most proudly worked to win the best COVID safety language in the country.
As a director, I’ve worked with UTLA leaders city-wide to build a transformational union that empowers it’s members through an organizing approach rather than a service approach resulting in a nationally and internationally recognized powerhouse union that has inspired others in the labor movement to do the same.
Our strike moved this city toward us because they felt and heard our organized and unified voices. We must continue building on that momentum, so I ask that you vote for myself, Nicole Patin, Leonard Newsome and Scott Mandel for Valley East and Alex Orozco for Secondary VP and Gloria Martinez for Treasurer!
Gary Fraigun
My name is Gary Fraigun, and I am running for Board of Directors for Valley East. I’m a veteran special education teacher of 22 years, I've been on the UTLA House of Representatives and NEA Representative Assembly multiple times. I am aware of the issues that impact our teachers. If elected, I shall fulfill the responsibilities of the position, while working to improve conditions for our UTLA members and students.
I know what it’s like to be in a tough teaching situation and I know what we need to make things better.
Thank you.
Vote for United Team For Change making UTLA work for You, Your job, Your pay, Your benefits, Your Retirement, & Your Professional Respect! Leading in solidarity for member-driven solutions, contract-enforcing, & advocating for union campus services, so teaching and learning can be enjoyable again. Join UT4C.com!
https://ut4c.com
https://twitter.com/voteut4c
https://www.facebook.com/voteut4cScott Mandel *
VOTE SCOTT MANDEL
VALLEY EAST AREA CHAIR38 YRS TEACHER
15 YRS DIRECTOR
9 YRS AREA CHAIRI am running on my record as your Area Chair since 2007:
PROTECTING TEACHERS FROM ABUSIVE ADMINISTRATORS:
I work diligently to get abusive administrators moved out. References: the staffs of Brainard El, Broadous El, Burbank El, Chavez ASE HS, Columbus El, Coughlin El, Fair El, Lowman Sped, Mt. Gleason MS, Morningside El (2X), North Hollywood HS, Olive Vista MS, Panorama City HS, Ranchito El, Reed MS, Riverside El, San Fernando El, San Fernando HS, Saticoy El, Strathern El, Sylmar HS, Vena El, Verdugo Hills HS.RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF TEACHERS:
I answer all calls/e-mails within hours. As busy as we all are, as stressful as this job can be, I believe it is critical for your union to respond immediately, and resolve problems as quick as possible.I strive to represent Valley East teachers’ positions in UTLA.
Vote for my VE Leadership Team: Victoria Casas, Nicole Patin & Leonard Newsome
2022-2023 Valley West Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Kyna Collins
We are MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER! We are proudly running to represent Valley West because we are committed to continuing the work of making positive and much needed changes in our area. Serving as members of the Steering Committee together has allowed us the opportunity to learn ways that we can strengthen our union. Through personal connections with colleagues throughout the valley, we are well aware that our members’ needs have to be prioritized in the way we conduct our union. If elected, we commit to begin implementing systems that will make us more united and honor true justice. Our goals include: creating a transparent budget system, honoring and respecting the work of our chapter chairs, co-chairs and CATs by investing in them directly, respecting and valuing your time, and making sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Our main goal is to build and strengthen solidarity, not just in Valley West, but across all areas and beyond so that we may live up to our own name of UTLA!
Ivannia Nolasco
We are MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER! We are proudly running to represent Valley West because we are committed to continuing the work of making positive and much needed changes in our area. Serving as members of the Steering Committee together has allowed us the opportunity to learn ways that we can strengthen our union. Through personal connections with colleagues throughout the valley, we are well aware that our members’ needs have to be prioritized in the way we conduct our union. If elected, we commit to begin implementing systems that will make us more united and honor true justice. Our goals include: creating a transparent budget system, honoring and respecting the work of our chapter chairs, co-chairs and CATs by investing in them directly, respecting and valuing your time, and making sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Our main goal is to build and strengthen solidarity, not just in Valley West, but across all areas and beyond so that we may live up to our own name of UTLA!
Wendi Davis
I have the experience necessary to best serve the members of Valley West. I have represented Valley West on the BOD for 15 years, 18 years in the House of Representatives, and on the Core Bargaining Team. I regularly seek out all members’ opinions and needs, and take into account all who need competent and focused transparent representation. Over the years I’ve become very knowledgeable about our contract, and have made defending members against problematic principals my highest priority.
A director must be a voice for Valley West leadership as it is a board member's most important responsibility to be at every meeting, ready to collaborate and educate the citywide officers as to the concerns of those whom we represent. It is also a director's duty to respond to the immediate needs of members in need of assistance and representation at school sites.
Vote to Re-Elect your Valley West Leadership Team: Wendi Davis and Melodie Bitter for NEA Directors
Melodie Bitter *
Melodie Bitter for VW Area Chair and NEA Area Director
I have been a teacher in Valley West for 35 years and one of your UTLA directors for the past nine years.
Throughout my years as your director, my primary goal has been to service the members of Valley West schools. I regularly get back to members within 24 hours, and have been available to help them when faced with difficulties at their school sites. I’ve become extremely knowledgeable about our contract and have consistently used that knowledge to protect your rights against problematic principals.
Our entire team has accomplished much during this time, serving the needs of our members, making Valley West one of the top two areas in every important area: UTLA participation, recruiting Chapter Chairs, and winning Valley School Board races.
Vote to Re-Elect your Valley West Leadership Team: Melodie Bitter and Wendi Davis for NEA Directors
Dawn Alpi
We are MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER! We are proudly running to represent Valley West because we are committed to continuing the work of making positive and much needed changes in our area. Serving as members of the Steering Committee together has allowed us the opportunity to learn ways that we can strengthen our union. Through personal connections with colleagues throughout the valley, we are well aware that our members’ needs have to be prioritized in the way we conduct our union. If elected, we commit to begin implementing systems that will make us more united and honor true justice. Our goals include: creating a transparent budget system, honoring and respecting the work of our chapter chairs, co-chairs and CATs by investing in them directly, respecting and valuing your time, and making sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Our main goal is to build and strengthen solidarity, not just in Valley West, but across all areas and beyond so that we may live up to our own name of UTLA!
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Wendy Lozano
We are MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER! We are proudly running to represent Valley West because we are committed to continuing the work of making positive and much needed changes in our area. Serving as members of the Steering Committee together has allowed us the opportunity to learn ways that we can strengthen our union. Through personal connections with colleagues throughout the valley, we are well aware that our members’ needs have to be prioritized in the way we conduct our union. If elected, we commit to begin implementing systems that will make us more united and honor true justice. Our goals include: creating a transparent budget system, honoring and respecting the work of our chapter chairs, co-chairs and CATs by investing in them directly, respecting and valuing your time, and making sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Our main goal is to build and strengthen solidarity, not just in Valley West, but across all areas and beyond so that we may live up to our own name of UTLA!
Gabriel Serrano
I have an agenda. My agenda is to fight for our most vulnerable students. Our fight as a union should be to uplift all students by empowering our union members. I am running for Board of Directors to ensure that UTLA becomes a more democratic and student-focused union. As professionals we must leverage our union’s power to advocate for our profession. This is how we get fully-staffed schools and true, enforceable caps on class sizes, most urgently in special education. Those of us who serve students with autism remember when the norm for our class sizes doubled after our last strike. We cannot let this injustice stand. As an educator and proud union member, I have been a champion for the vulnerable and marginalized populations of students and teachers in LAUSD; as a member of the West Valley Area Board of Directors, I will continue to struggle alongside my sisters and brothers in UTLA to repair the harm and uplift our profession.
2022-2023 Harbor Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
* indicates that the candidate is also running for Area Chairperson
Angela Chavez
My name is Angela Chavez. I am a Chapter Co-Chair, UTLA/NEA Delegate, and 22-year LAUSD educator. When faced with conflict with an administrator at my school site, I had to learn to become my own champion. I studied the contract and CA Ed Code, read district bulletins and began to assert my contractual rights. I often felt alone through my struggle. I wished for more guidance, support, and communication from my union representatives. I want a different experience for you. You matter!
Therefore, if elected as a Harbor Area Board of Director my goal is to champion for you! I know the work is hard, and how at times we can feel undervalued and unsupported. I want to empower you to be leaders and together have an amplified voice. If you are weary, I'm here to encourage and advocate on your behalf! You matter!
Area Directors are responsible for leading, serving, and attending meetings; as your representative, my advocacy will reflect you and your needs in Harbor Area schools. You matter!Monica Caballero
It is an honor to run for the Harbor Area Board of Directors as part of the UNITY & STRENGTH team.
I am a special education teacher who has taught SDC, RSP, and the alternate curriculum. I am currently an RSP inclusion teacher at Dodson MS and previously served as chapter chair at Wilmington STEAM Magnet. This year, I made a successful bid to join the Harbor Area Steering Committee. As Harbor Area NEA Board Director, I plan to:
- Fight for better salaries and benefits for ALL members
- Fight to lower class sizes for ALL schools and grade levels
- Fight for fully funded public schools to stop privatization and unwanted co-locations
- Support chapter chairs and all members in organizing around site issues and contract enforcement
- Strengthen communication between chapter chairs and UTLA Leadership
Vote for the diverse, experienced, and progressive UNITY & STRENGTH HARBOR AREA TEAM of MONICA, PHYLIS, and NORLON, and vote for the entire UNITY & STRENGTH team!
Petrina Miller
In 2019, we were able to stop a giant in its tracks for 9 days. Our voices were heard across the country and we made our concerns about how we were being treated known. And we made them listen–for 9 days. What happened after 9 days? We were left with unfulfilled promises and questioning if it was even worth it.
It is time for a change in the leadership of our union. As a frontline worker, I share your voice, I know your concerns and I am living your life. I know how it feels to not be heard or appreciated or given a seat at the table. Decisions that affect all should be made by representatives that can and will listen to what is wanted by members.
As your elected Area Rep I will hear from you, the members that I serve, and make sure your voice is heard without any filter. I will serve honestly and give all that I can to make sure your voice is taken seriously, as the professionals that you are. My name is Petrina Miller and I am running for UTLA Board of Directors, Harbor Division.Phylis Hoffman *
Hello, my name is Phylis Hoffman. I would be honored to serve as the Harbor Area Chair. I am humbled to be running for UTLA Harbor Area Chair with the Unity & Strength Team. I am currently one of the Harbor Area Directors & Chapter Chair of Harry Bridges Span School. My involvement with unions began when I was born. My father & mother were both union members. I’ve had a long career in LAUSD. I am an elected leader on UTLA’s PACE as VC of School Board. If elected Harbor Area Chair, I will
- Fight for better salaries & benefits for ALL members
- Fight to lower class sizes for ALL schools & grade levels
- Fight for fully funded public schools to stop privatization & unwanted co-locations
- Support chapter chairs and all members in organizing around site issues & contract enforcement
- Strengthen communication between chapter chairs & UTLA Leaders
Please vote for the diverse, experienced, and progressive UNITY & STRENGTH HARBOR AREA TEAM of MONICA, PHYLIS and NORLON and the entire team.
Norlon Davis
NORLON DAVIS for UTLA Harbor Area Board of Directors
THIS IS WHERE THE FIGHT BEGINS!
24 year fighter and UTLA veteran. Currently serve as the UTLA HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIR for over 3000 UTLA Itinerant Professional members including PSA Counselors, School Nurses, School Psychologists, Psychiatrist Social Workers, & School Counselors itinerant groups.THIS IS WHERE THE FIGHT CONTINUES!
UTLA House of Representatives (HOR), National Education Association (NEA), and California Teachers Association (CTA) Delegate. Represented HHS Professionals in UTLA/LAUSD contract discussions. I AM COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF ALL EDUCATORS. Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA to lobby for educator policies.THIS IS NOT WHERE THE FIGHT ENDS!
- PSA Counselors & Psychiatric Social Workers norming
- Caseload/Workload caps
- 6-hour on-site, 2 hour off-site duties
- Professional development/licensure
- OT pay for student emergencies
- Fair assignment Matrix/transparency
Jessica RodarteUncontested (candidates elected by acclamation)
2022-2023 South Area
NEA UTLA Board of Director
Please accept my deepest gratitude! As an unopposed candidate I look forward to serving my second term as a member of your UTLA South Area Board of Directors on July 01, 2023. I value your support and commitment to this union and look forward to working alongside you and representing you.
The ballots will be emailed in February for the contested seats and I want to make sure that you vote for the rest of my Unity & Strength team.This team that has served and led through the pandemic at school sites and areas throughout our district. This team has the most experienced candidates and is the team that I believe will move UTLA forward.
- Cecily Myart-Cruz - UTLA President running for re-election
- Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA Vice President
- Julie Van Winkle - AFT Vice President
- Maria Miranda - Elementary Vice President
- Rosa Jimenez - Secondary Vice President
- Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
- Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
Sincerely,
Claudia Silva
96th Street Elementary School Teacher, M.EdApril Thomas
Thank you for your commitment to students, their families and their communities. As an
unopposed candidate, I will begin my term as a member of your UTLA board of directors on July 1, 2023. The following members that I enjoy learning from, will be on the ballot that will be emailed in February for the contested seats and I want to make sure that you vote for the rest of my Unity & Strength team because they are great together.
- Cecily Myart-Cruz-UTLA President, running for re-election
- Georgia Flowers Lee-NEA Vice President
- Julie Van Winkle-AFT Vice President
- Maria Miranda-Elementary Vice President
- Rosa Jimenez-Secondary Vice President
- Jennifer McAfee-Secretary
- Denisha Jordan-Treasurer
This is the team that has served and led through the pandemic at school sites and areas throughout our district. Team Unity & Strength has the most experienced candidates and is the team that I believe will move UTLA forward. Let’s Go!
In unity,
April Thomas
Teacher
South Area Steering MemberAFT UTLA Board of Director
Dear members,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As an unopposed candidate I will begin my term as a member of your UTLA board of directors on July 01, 2023. Ballots will be emailed in February for the contested seats and I want to make sure that you vote for the rest of my Unity & Strength team.
- Cecily Myart-Cruz - UTLA President - running for re-election
- Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA Vice President
- Julie Van Winkle - AFT Vice President
- Maria Miranda - Elementary Vice President
- Rosa Jimenez - Secondary Vice President
- Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
- Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
This is the team that has served and led through the pandemic at school sites and areas throughout our district. Team Unity & Strength has the most experienced candidates and is the team that I believe will move UTLA forward.
L. Cynthia Matthews
AFT South Area Board of Directors2022-2023 East Area
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Ingrid Gunnell
Re-Elect UTLA East Area Board of Directors!
Working together to:
- Continue to support all East Area members at all school sites.
- Work with UTLA leadership on the strategic plan to continue standing strong and focused on our set goals.
- Be present at all Board of Directors, House of Reps, PACE, and Area meetings to keep all members informed!
- Work alongside Eastside Padres to organize parents and community members who support public education.
- Continue to work alongside and keep elected LAUSD School Board members accountable.
- Meet regularly with Region 4 East leadership to bring our issues to the local superintendent.
- * Most importantly, listen to and be the voice of UTLA East Area members!
2022-2023 West Area
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Stacey Yakimowich
Dear West Area UTLA Members,
Thank you for your dedication to our students, communites, and UTLA! I am excited to begin my term on the UTLA West Area Board of Directors in July and hope you join me in supporting the Unity & Strength Team in the February election:
- Cecily Myart-Cruz - UTLA President
- Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA Vice President
- Julie Van Winkle - AFT Vice President
- Maria Miranda - Elementary Vice President
- Rosa Jimenez - Secondary Vice President
- Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
- Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
Experience and commitment make these candiates the perfect choice to lead: they have served UTLA through the pandemic and will overcome any obstacle to our student’s success.
I hope you also support the West Area Board of Directors Team: Jennifer Villaryo, Marie Germaine, and Noah Lippe-Klein. We are committed to building power in our schools and communities and continuing the fight for racial justice while organizing to transform education!
Unity & Love,
Stacey2022-2023 Central Area
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Stacie Webster *
Dear Members,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am looking forward to serving the members of UTLA. As an unopposed candidate I will begin my term as a member of your UTLA board of directors on July 01, 2023. Ballots will be emailed in February for contested seats and I want to make sure that you vote for the rest of my Unity & Strength team.
- Cecily Myart-Cruz - UTLA President - running for re-election
- Georgia Flowers Lee - NEA Vice President
- Julie Van Winkle - AFT Vice President
- Maria Miranda - Elementary Vice President
- Rosa Jimenez - Secondary Vice President
- Jennifer McAfee - Secretary
- Denisha Jordan - Treasurer
This is the team that has served and led through the pandemic at school sites and areas throughout our district. Team Unity & Strength has the most experienced candidates and is the team that will move UTLA forward.
In Unity,
Stacie Webster
UTLA Central Area Chair2022-2023 Valley East Area
AFT UTLA Board of Director
Leonard Newsome
I am a proud 33-year member of UTLA and support our Beyond Recovery platform. As a NBCT educator, I’ve devoted my life to providing quality education and leadership.
Along with my experience as a chapter chair, I’ve dedicated myself to advocate for equity and social justice. I see UTLA as a vehicle that can make this happen and have served in multiple spaces like the bargaining team, HOR, and lobbying in Sacramento with AFT/CFT for our members.
I’ve always strived to be a good organizer and inclusive leader and that approach led to my chapter having 100% strike participation during our historic strike! I also established and asserted UTLA’s power within our LSLC to champion teacher empowerment at my site.
I look forward to working and learning from this team of amazing leaders:
A team that brings DIVERSITY, EXPERIENCE, and POWER!Vote for Victoria Casas, Nicole Patin, and Scott Mandel for Valley East Directors and Alex Orozco for UTLA Secondary VP and Gloria Martinez for Treasurer.
2022-2023 Harbor Area
AFT UTLA Board of Director
* indicates that the candidate is also running for Area Chairperson
Crystal Murray
Candidates for Special Categories Director
Board of Directors (Special Category) includes Adult and Occupational Education, Bilingual Education, Early Childhood Education Centers, Health and Human Services, Special Education and Substitutes.
Note Candidate photos, flyers, statements, and links are now all added, as well as video statements and Q&As for special category candidates who participated. Candidate statements/flyers are not UTLA’s statements/flyers. UTLA does not edit, censor, or endorse any of them.
Contested
2022-2023 UTLA Board of Director – Early Education Center (EEC) Director
Brenda Brown
I am running for the position of Early Education Center (EEC) Director. I have been teaching Preschool for nearly 3 decades.I’m running for EEC Director to make a great impact on how Early Educators are viewed and respected.As current Director, I will continue to fight for new innovative measures for our teachers to move up the salary tables and provide better opportunities to prepare for retirement. I strongly believe EEC Teachers who are working hard to provide for their families and futures face significant barriers due to lack of access to obtaining Elementary Credentials.I will work to protect working conditions, and provide resources to allow Teachers to be more effective in serving our children and families.I defend and fight for our rights in health benefits and job security.Our EEC needs a Leader who will work hard for all.Let’s build and work together for respect, inclusion, and pay we deserve.
Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Board of Director – Special Education
Deborah Schneider-Solis
Special Education work within LAUSD and UTLA is far from done. I am in a unique position to continue to serve UTLA, with my Special Education experience within the district and through state and national union work. With my strong advocacy for students with exceptional needs, I will continue to build capacity, as organizing and educating are the keys to success. I have worked to promote equal educational opportunities for students, as well as our members. I will continue to increase communication by sharing resources and my knowledge with members while continuing to meet with the district on a regular basis to address special education concerns. As an active member myself, I will continue to hold special educaiton meetings so that all can be heard and we can share ideas with one another. It is time that Special Education be on the forefront. To that end, I ask for your consideration for the UTLA Board of Directors - Special Education seat.
Statement
Q&A
2022-2023 UTLA Board of Director – Substitute Teachers
David Riess
Hello,
My name is DAVID RIESS and I have noticed over the years that our union is not addressing many of the needs/concerns/issues which mainly affect Subs, so I decided to “Step up to the plate” and run for Board of Directors representing Substitute Teachers. We pay good money every month for adequate representation and I’m going to make sure that happens to the fullest!I will fight for these (and other) issues:
- We should be able to use our sick days even if we aren’t called for work.
- Schools “forgetting” to enter you into the Payroll Timesheet.
- Paychecks with missing days not listing all the dates worked.
- Vacation Time granted after 100-days/year.
- Guaranteed work for those who want it.
Also, please vote for LEONARD SEGAL for “UTLA President” as he is ALSO A SUB! He’s one of us! He is determined to put SUB job & pay protections into CA state law!
Visit UT4C.com to see our slate of other union candidates which are advocates to us Subs!!!
Thank You,
DAVID RIESSStatement
Q&A
Monique Lukens
Gab.com/MoniqueLukens - Joined UTLA shortly after arriving in L.A. in '05. Produced gmo-free, vegan sub teacher socials & online. Organized guest doctor & lawyer panels while volunteering as N2 Call Area Sub Chair & Vice; Communication Director for The Capably Disabled Committee - this year Chair. Holding Theatre MFA & Math & Communications BA, I worked in the arts while, in between, sub teaching. I'm aware of the need for schedule flexibility, yet if canceled within an hr., wish to ensure YOU obtain another assignment. Holding at least a Bachelor's degree, it's essential YOUR knowledge scope’s validated. Our position can make us vulnerable & I take a stand for YOU. Creating a body, who serves, as witnesses, during Inadequate Service Reports (on Zoom) is a good step. I believe racial & medical divisions were exploited & do not support this. YOU have the right to research & informed decisions. I believe God’s will is RESPECT 4 ALL. Voices 4 Change. Vote 4 Change. United Team 4 Change.
Francisco Martinez
As your current Director, I have the experience, knowledge and everything needed to represent our members. Before being elected to the Board, I was a member and Chair of the Substitute Teachers Committee. Also, I was elected to the UTLA House of Representatives and I am part of the Substitutes Article XXX team. As your elected representative, I strongly spoke on Substitute issues. During the pandemic, I guaranteed work and pay for every Substitute, I expanded the Article XXX team so that the District will hear directly from our members. More importantly, I represented and absolved many of our members at Informal Conferences with Administrators. As your elected Board of Director, I am a member of the expanded bargaining team which allows me to advocate for Substitute issues directly at the bargaining table. I have an indisputable track record for defending our members at Informal Conferences. I strongly believe that I am the right person for the job.
Statement
Q&A
Gilbert Gil