Executive Board
2025-2027
Our executive board meets monthly throughout the school year to discuss and vote on union-related issues concerning our members. All voting members of the board are elected by the membership. Want to know how your Board works and what you can expect if you join the Executive Board? Check out our handy guide.
Teachers' Council
Ashley Mims, President
Jonathan Thurston, Delegate
Thomas Gallaher, Vice-President
Jeff West, Delegate
Shelley Watts, East Campus Representative
Kyla Kloever, Delegate
Kris Stephens, West Campus Representative
Teacher Assistants' Council
Marcus Barriger, President
Annette Whitaker, Delegate
Aaron Kremmel, Vice-President
Karen Chism, East Campus Representative
Edwyn Brown, West Campus Representative
Administrative Assistants' Council
Liz de la Torre, President
Crystal Paulik, Vice-President
Tanya McGrew, East Campus Representative
Leigh Reidelberger, West Campus Representative
Support Staff
Brandon Hentze, Treasurer
Lannette Story, Secretary
Kaitlynn Buettner, Bookkeeper (as needed)
Cyndi Oberle-Dahm, IFT Executive Vice-President
Standing Committees
Standing committees are permanent groups established by our constitution to oversee specific, ongoing areas of union work. These committees are responsible for carrying out essential functions that support the structure, goals, and responsibilities of the organization. Each committee is chaired by an elected board member, who also appoints additional members from the general membership. Members may be selected based on experience, representation needs, or simply as a way to become more actively involved in the union.
- Elections Committee Co-Chairs: Shelley Watts, Jonathan Thurston
- Grievance Committee Co-Chairs: Kris Stephens, Annette Whitaker
- Legislative and Political Education Chair: Thomas Gallaher
- Member Communication Co-Chairs: Kyla Kloever, Crystal Paulik
- Social Co-Chairs: Marcus Barriger, Thomas Gallaher
- Member Services Co-Chairs: Jeff West, Aaron Kremmell
Negotiation Committees
Each council maintains a separate negotiation committee consisting of the council president and vice president as ex-officio members, and an additional five (5) elected members. The term will last for the duration of the contract which they negotiated, and no additional contracts can be negotiated during the said term before the next committee is elected, except with the approval of 2/3 of the membership in a secret ballot vote.
- Teachers' Council: Ashley Mims, Thomas Gallaher, Austin Betz, Shawn Coughlin, Chris Brown, Matt Osborne, Jeff West
- Teacher Assistants' Council: Marcus Barriger, Aaron Kremmel, Annette Whitaker, Elaine Dandridge, Karen Chism, Donna Bauman, Melissa Ricker
- Administrative Assistants' Council: Liz de la Torre, Crystal Paulik, Laura Sauerwein, Sarah Hamilton, Mike Olson, Julie Cook, Sarah Schraufnagel
Advisory Committees
Advisory committees are ongoing groups that meet as needed to provide input, guidance, and recommendations to the executive board on specific areas of union work. While not outlined in our constitution as standing committees, they play an important role in supporting the mission and day-to-day operations of our union. Members are often selected based on expertise or interest in the specific task.
- Trauma-Informed Support Committee Union Members: Tiffany Stellhorn (Chair), Nicole Pelch, Lannette Story, Christina Roedl, Thomas Gallaher, and Kara Muncy
Joint Committees
A joint committee between a union and the school board/district administration is a collaborative body composed of an equal number of representatives from both management (board/admin) and labor (union). The core purpose is to promote collaboration, improve communication and problem-solving, and address specific issues.
- Sick Leave Bank Joint Committee Union Members: Ashley Mims, Jeff West, Kyla Kloever
- Co-Curricular Stipend Review Joint Committee Union Members: Ashley Mims, Seth Garrett, Kris Stephens, Michelle Watts
- PERA and RIF Joint Committee Union Members: Cyndi Oberle-Dahm, Ashley Mims, Thomas Gallaher, Jessica Templin, Matt Nimmons, Jeff West
- Calendar Committee Union Members: Crystal Paulik, Marcus Barriger, Jonathan Thurston, Ashley Mims
IFT Committees
Our parent organization, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), often invites members from locals to serve on state-level advisory committees. These committees play an important role in shaping the work of the IFT by guiding resolutions brought to the triennial convention, providing feedback on policy initiatives, and representing the diverse perspectives of educators across Illinois.
- IFT Program Committee (Scholarship sub-committee): Cyndi Oberle-Dahm, Committee Chair
- IFT Dual Credit Ad Hoc Committee: Cyndi Oberle-Dahm
- IFT Next Generation Committee: Thomas Gallaher and Ashley Mims
- IFT PSRP Constituency Council: Liz De La Torre
- IFT Special Education Committee: Christina Roedl
"Without unions, workers will lose many of the protections against abusive employers. Wages for all will be depressed, even as corporate profits soar. The American Dream will be destroyed for millions. And we will have a government of the corporations, by the already powerful, for the wealthy."
—Kenneth Bernstein