Before becoming a teacher, Chelsea Teachers Union President Mary Ferriter worked as a correctional officer. “I looked at all of those kids who were incarcerated and 90% of them had dropped out of school. I decided that I wanted to be on the other side and see if I could help these kids.”
AFT Massachusetts Executive Vice-Presidents
Patricia Armstrong
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66
Patricia was formerly the Political Coordinator for the Boston Teachers Union. She is also a labor member of the Democratic State Committee. She received the AFL-CIO Outstanding Service Award in 1990.
Deborah Blinder
Holliston Federation of Teachers, Local 3275
Deb teaches Spanish at Adams Middle School in Holliston. A building representative for more than 20 years, Deb formerly served as vice president and president of the Holliston Federation of Teachers.
Sean Bowker
Southeastern Regional Teachers Federation, Local 1849
Sean teaches biology at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in Easton.
Kathryn Chamberlain
Chelmsford Federation of Teachers, Local 3569
Kathryn is the president of the Chelmsford Federation of Teachers and teaches 6th grade at McCarthy Middle School.
Brenda Chaney
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66
Brenda teaches seventh grade English at the John D. O’Bryant School of Math & Science in Boston and has served as the Community Outreach Liaison for the Boston Teachers Union since 2003.
Kathy Delaney
Lawrence Teachers Union, Local 1019
Kathy is the school counselor at the South Lawrence East Middle School. She presently serves as the second vice president of Lawrence Teachers Union and sits on the grievance, negoitiation, social and educational committees.
Catherine Deveney
Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037
Cathy is a paraprofessional at the Thurgood Marshall Middle School and serves as a 2nd vice president of the Lynn Teachers Union.
Patricia Driscoll
Lawrence Teachers Union, Local 1019
Pat is a first vice president of the Lawrence Teachers Union and co-chair of the local’s political action committee.
Marianne “Micki” Dumont
United Teachers of Lowell, Local 495
Micki is the Education Issues Chairperson on the Executive Board of the UTL.
J. Michael Earle
United Teachers of Lowell, Local 495
Michael taught honors biology at Lowell High School and serves as a staff representative for the United Teachers of Lowell.
Margaret Farrell
United Teachers of Lowell, Local 495
Midge retired as a sixth grade teacher at the Butler Middle School in Lowell. She was the recipient of an AFT Massachusetts Distinguished Service Award in 1996.
Mary Ferriter
Chelsea Teachers Union, Local 1340
Mary is president of the Chelsea Teachers Union and the lead teacher at the Chelsea Middle School Alternative Program, located in the Browne Middle School.
Jenna Fitzgerald
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66
Jenna is the Paraprofessional Field Representative for the Boston Teachers Union and is also a member of the BTU’s executive board. She also serves on the AFT’s Advisory Council on Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel.
Richard Flaherty
Medway Federation of Teachers, Local 3645
Dick was president of the Medway Federation of Teachers and headed every bargaining team for the local since 1978. He has also served as a building representative and grievance chairman. He was an eighth grade social studies teacher at the Medway Middle School.
Paul Georges
United Teachers of Lowell, Local 495
Paul teaches English as a second language at Lowell High School and is president of the United Teachers of Lowell.
Alice Gunning
Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037
Alice was a first grade teacher at the Ingalls School in Lynn and formerly served as president of the Lynn Teachers Union.
Daniel Haacker
Massachusetts Library Staff Association, Local 4928
Dan is the assistant director of the Milton Library as well as the vice-president of the Massachusetts Library Staff Association.
Joyce Harrington
Salem Teachers Union, Local 1258
Joyce is a fifth grade teacher at Witchcraft Heights Elementary School and president of the Salem Teachers Union.
Susan Leahy
Billerica Federation of Teachers, Local 1677
Sue recently retired as a first grade teacher at the Vining School in Billerica. She is chairperson for legislative issues, and has also served as vice president for elementary teachers, as a building representative and as editor of the union newsletter.
Frank McLaughlin
Lawrence Teachers Union, Local 1019
Frank teaches United States history at Lawrence High School and is is president of the Lawrence Teachers Union.
Bruce Nelson
Peabody Federation of Teachers, Local 1289
Bruce is President of the Peabody Federation of Teachers and a retired English teacher at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School.
Catherine Patten
Amesbury Federation of Teachers, Local 1033
Cathy is a 2nd grade teacher at Amesbury Elementary School and the elementary vice president for the Amesbury Federation of Teachers.
James A. Philip
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66
Timo is a member of the executive board of the Boston Teachers Union and a leader of the AFT Black Caucus. He teaches social studies at Brighton High School.
Bruce Sparfven
U-Mass Faculty Federation, Local 1895
Bruce is Vice President of the UMass Faculty Federation at UMass Dartmouth. Bruce also serves as chairperson of the ESU unit in the Faculty Federation representing professional staff and works primarily with freshmen students.
Richard Stutman
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66
Richard is president of the Boston Teachers Union.
Gale Thomas
Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037
Gale is the local Site coordinator for ER&D at the Lynn Teacher’s Union offering professional development for teachers. She is also a retired teacher and works part time at the Harrington School, a level 4 school in Lynn, providing intervention instruction.
