CEA-Advisor_April-2023-issue_web

REPRESENTING

APRIL 2023 CEA ADVISOR 13

CANDIDATES SEEK LEADERSHIP POSITIONS Voting takes place at CEA’s 175 th Representative Assembly

Candidate for NEA Director

Candidate for NEA Director Alternate

Two candidates are running unopposed for NEA director and NEA director alternate. Their photos and statements are printed here, as received. Each position carries a three-year term, and voting will take place at the CEA RA May 12-13, 2023, at Mohegan Sun. In addition to electing members to serve in these positions, RA delegates will vote on CEA’s budget, which supports the organization’s strategic objectives, programs, and services for members. CEA SUMMIT ON DIVERSITY Elevating Voices of Color in Education

Tanya Marie Kores

Carrie Cassady

Please accept this letter as an indication of my interest in the NEA Director Alternate position. I have been a middle school teacher for the past twenty-three years in Torrington, the president of my local union for four years, and a current member of the CEA Political Action Committee.

21 Year Science Teacher Cheshire Public Schools

My name is Tanya Kores and I am running for NEA Director. I am married, a mother of 3 elementary school children and have been teaching at

Cheshire High School for 21 years. I have been honored to represent teachers on the local, state and national levels since the first year I began teaching. This year I have been given the opportunity to represent you as an NEA Director and would love to continue to do so. Locally, I serve as the Education Association of Cheshire’s Secretary and Sick Bank Chair and have done so for the last 10 years. However, my union involvement at the state level began in 2002, when I was nominated to the Resolutions Committee. I served on CEA’s Resolutions Committee for 11 years and the NEA Resolutions Committee for 6 years. Throughout my time on the committee I proposed, amended and spoke to a number of resolutions at the NEA RA that Connecticut supported or opposed. I served 6 years as a New Haven County Director, allowing me to represent my county on CEA’s Board of Directors. This experience has enhanced my knowledge of the organization and has given me the opportunity to see how CEA works for its members. As your NEA Director, I will continue to work collaboratively with the other Director and use my experience to represent Connecticut, to the best of my ability. Please consider electing me NEA Director and allow me to continue my work.

In addition to my role as local president, I have served my local in a variety of ways- as a building representative, as a member and chair of the negotiations team, vice president and as a member of my district’s Professional Development and Evaluation Committee. I have collaborated with stakeholders, negotiated contracts, and created improvement plans to support teachers as a member of my district Professional Development and Evaluation Committee. These experiences have allowed me to view educational issues through multiple lenses- as a teacher, local union leader, and community member. As a member of the CEA Political Action Committee I have had the opportunity to engage in political discourse with local legislators (from both major parties) to discuss the issues that matter to educators- smaller class sizes, healthy buildings with good air quality, improving the ratio of students to certified support staff (counselors and social workers). The NEA Director Alternate position will allow me to fine tune my skills when meeting with legislators so I may continue to be a strong advocate for teachers, students, and our schools.

Saturday, April 29 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sheraton Hartford South, Rocky Hill

Leadership skills take time to cultivate. Learn side-by-side with others through problem-solving exercises and a panel discussion with local teachers’ union leaders, school administrators, and elected officials. This free, half-day retreat is hosted by CEA’s Ethnically Diverse Educators Commission and includes a continental breakfast. Register at cea.org/event/diversity retreat-april29 .

NEW FACES AT CEA

CEA welcomes five new staff members whose skills and experience are helping the state’s largest teachers’ union effectively advocate for its members. Among the recent hires are three UniServ Representatives, who assist local education associations with collective bargaining, grievances, leadership

training, political, legislative, and community organizing, and other advocacy on behalf of CEA members. Also joining CEA are an information services research analyst and a research associate, whose work supports those efforts.

Aimee Cotton Bogush, Associate/Research Assistant

Lisa McKinnon, UniServ Representative

A Connecticut-certified elementary school teacher who has taught at the kindergarten and fourth-grade levels, Bogush most recently worked as a manager of communications, marketing, and engagement for Connecticut Humanities, where she had been employed since 2019. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Stonehill College and her master’s in elementary education from the University of New Haven. A former local television journalist and newspaper executive editor/art director in Russia, Garipova earned her master’s degree in English from Bashkir State University and a paralegal certificate from UConn. In addition to her work as a paralegal/litigation support specialist for various Connecticut law firms, Garipova has served as an administrative analyst and data/ communications manager for New Haven Public A teacher at New Britain’s Northend Elementary School since 2016, Jones previously served as an organizational specialist with the Maryland State Education Association, where she coordinated the annual statewide Summer Leadership and Student Leadership conferences. Prior to that, she was a UniServ director for the Delaware State Education Association. Jones earned a bachelor of science in elementary

With more than 20 years’ experience as a staff representative for AFSCME Council 4 and CSEA SEIU Local 2001, McKinnon has assumed various union responsibilities, including contract preparation, negotiations, and enforcement; mediation; and arbitration for municipal and private-sector bargaining units. In addition to member recruitment and retention, she has experience in member education, leadership

training and development, organizing, and member-to-member political campaigning. McKinnon earned her bachelor of arts from Charter Oak State College. As a CEA UniServ Rep, she works with local education associations in Beacon Falls, Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, Prospect, Regions 15 and 16, Seymour, Southbury, and Watertown.

Liliya Garipova, Research Information Services/ Research Associate

Gregory Perry, UniServ Representative

A veteran Norwich teacher, union president, and board of education member, Perry has taught health and physical education for the past 20 years and served as an adjunct professor at Eastern Connecticut State

University, teaching personal health and group dynamics. He earned a master of arts in special education from the University of Saint Joseph and a bachelor of science in health and physical education from ECSU. As a CEA UniServ Rep, he serves Griswold, Groton, ISAAC, Ledyard, Lisbon, New London, North Stonington, Preston, Stonington, and Voluntown. Your union membership ensures there are many people working to support you, your career, and your professional goals. Key among them are CEA UniServ Representatives, who advise and assist local teachers’ unions, their leaders, and individual members in matters affecting educators’ livelihoods, reputation, certification, contracts, and more. Who is your UniServ Rep? Use the lookup tool at cea.org/cea-staff and search by town or region. Who Represents You?

Schools athletics department and health centers.

Jocelynne Jones, UniServ Representative

education and American studies and master of arts in history from Western Connecticut State University, as well as an 092 Certificate in Intermediate Administration and Supervision from Sacred Heart University. As a CEA UniServ Rep, she works with Avon, Bloomfield, CREC, and Suffield.