As a 22-year veteran of teaching, I have dedicated my life to educating children and protecting the rights of teachers. As a language arts teacher I have worked daily to improve the language arts abilities of students so that each could become a useful, productive member of society.
I firmly believe that the best teachers are those who continue professional development, and those who are treated with dignity and respect. To this end, I have worked to professionalize teaching and upgrade my own skills by participating in a Learning Strategies Seminar, a seminar entitled “Teachers Need Technology” and attending the AFT’s Conferences on Quality Education Standards in Teaching (QuEST) which presents the latest research on education reform and reconstructing. In addition, I have received training through AFT’s nationally recognized Educational Research and Dissemination (ER&D) Program. I have been trained as a Mentor Teacher, a program that grew out of the 1990 education reform in West Virginia. My belief that every teacher should be treated as a professional encouraged me to work tirelessly to establish a local teacher’s union in the various counties in the state. I was elected in 2006 as a Vice-President of the American Federation of Teachers.
As a representative for teachers, I have endeavored to be an advocate for quality education. I have served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Senate, have chaired the Language Art Textbook Selection Committee, and represented my county in the 1988 West Virginia Teachers’ Forum.
At the state level one of the most rewarding experiences was my tenure on the Governor’s Basic Skills Computer Panel. As a result of the work of this panel four computers were provided in each classroom in West Virginia. I have served as a member of the WVDE Policy Revision and Consolidation Committee (Policy 2000) and the Task Force on Preparation of Education Administrators. I served as a member of the Board of Directors for Highland Hospital and serve on the Governor’s Labor-Management Council. As a lobbyist for AFT-West Virginia, I have spearheaded two campaigns that resulted in landmark legislation on inclusion and safe schools. I am a member of the AFL-CIO Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee on Political Education (COPE). I have served as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Labor Studies and Research of WVU.
At the national level I am a member of the Program and Policy Council and serve as Chair of the Advisory Committee on State Federations. I also serve as a member of the Organizing Committee and was elected in 2006 as an AFT vice-president.
EDUCATION
Master of Arts, Marshall University – July, 1970; Major in Speech, Minor in English
Bachelor of Arts, Marshall University – May, 1967; Dual Major in Speech and English
EXPERIENCE
Graduate Assistant, 1969-70 - Marshall University with the Department of Speech
Language Arts Teacher:
1967 Spencer High School – Roane County
1968 Hurricane Junior High School – Putnam County
1970 Hurricane High School – Putnam County
1972-1982 Poca High School – Putnam County
1982-1986 Winfield High School – Putnam County
1987-1990 Poca Middle School – Putnam County
1991- Present President – AFT-West Virginia
