James is a math teacher, a graduate of Manchester Public Schools (class of 2004), and a lifelong resident of Manchester.  James' favorite things to do are spend time with his wife and two daughters and walk his dog.  His daughters currently go to Bowers Elementary School, grade 1 and Bennet Academy grade 5.   James has served as a building rep, MEA Treasurer and MEA Vice President.  He currently serves as the MEA President and is open to helping with any questions that you may have.

Contact:  b11jtier@mpspride.org

Suzanne Slater is a HeadStart teacher at the Manchester Preschool Center. She has been teaching for 12 years. She enjoys spending time with friends and family. Her favorite things to do are hiking and coaching and watching basketball. She is currently working on hiking the 48 4,000 footers in New Hampshire. Suzanne is currently the MEA Vice President and is available to support you in any way she can! 

Contact:  sslater@mpspride.org

Michael grew up in Manchester and is a graduate of MHS (class of '94).  He currently  lives in Ellington with his wife and two daughters.  After having kids, Michael turned in his motorcycle for a bicycle and has enjoyed trail riding ever since.  When he has free time, he enjoys road trips with his family.  He can help answer any questions about become a member of the MEA and the benefits of joining!  Just ask!

Contact:  mmoyn@mpspride.org

Shawn is a math teacher at Manchester High School who stays busy coaching and working with the Link program. Originally from New Hampshire, he enjoys hiking, campfires, playing recreational sports and getting out on the golf course. Shawn can help explain the importance of dues and what our budget works towards for our membership! 

Contact:  smcclory@mpspride.org

Erienne Mellen has been teaching General Music and Chorus in Manchester since 2007. She currently teaches 5th and 6th Grade Chorus/General Music at Bennet Academy. Mrs. Mellen is the Secretary of the Manchester Education Association. Outside of school, Erienne is the lead singer of a band called “Blanket Statement” as well as a Taylor Swift Tribute Band called "ERAS" and loves to spend time with her husband, son, friends, family, and dogs.  

Contact:  b51egrie@mpspride.org

Matthew is a kindergarten teacher at Verplanck Elementary School. He's been teaching for 8 years. Aside from teaching he has a passion for video production and runs a wedding film business. He enjoys spending time with family, watching movies, and eating delicious food. Matthew currently serves as the MEA EMAC Chair  and strives to bring equitable opportunities to all teachers and those who desire to progress in their educational career. 

Contact:  msmith@mpspride.org

Len has been a math teacher at Manchester High School since 2011 when he began his second career as an educator.  He has coached Football and Track and Field at the high school and has served MEA first as a Building Rep and now as the Negotiations chair.  He is a retired Naval Officer with 24 years of service and was also a government contracting officer while on active duty.  He is happy to answer any questions you have about our current contract and is always looking for input on how to improve our contract in the future. 

Contact:  lcooke@mpspride.org

Kara Trotter, organizer, is a special education teacher at Buckley. This is her 9th year in the district and she loves working in Manchester. As an organizer, Kara plans events throughout the year such as retirement workshops, teachers in the law workshops and student teacher meetups. If you have any ideas for future events, please reach out!  

Contact:  kriley@mpspride.org

Jen is an English Teacher at Manchester High School, teaching American Literature and American Studies. This is her 12th year in Manchester.  She is the co-advisor of the Student Equity Advisory Team and the Young Women's Leadership Group and serves on the Equity Leadership Team at MHS. She hopes to be a fierce advocate for the profession. 

Contact:  jvignone@mpspride.org

Jason is an English Teacher at Manchester High School working with primarily juniors and seniors.  This is his 21st year in this career, but his first in Manchester.  He has served as both a teacher and administrator in other districts.  He also was the grievance chair for seven years in a former district and helped to negotiate two contracts.  He is currently finishing up his doctoral work with a focus on Social Justice and Equity and serves on the Equity Leadership Team at MHS.  His hope is to advocate for teachers here in Manchester and to push for statewide legislation that improves the working conditions for all teachers and helps to create learning environments that are inclusive, validating, safe and relevant for our students.  Outside of school, Jason is an avid nature lover and spends most of his free time kayaking, camping, hiking and doing nature photography.

Contact:  jscavotto@mpspride.org

Taylor is a math teacher, team leader, and department facilitator at Illing Middle School. She’s been teaching for 9 years.  When Taylor is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She currently lives in East Hartford with her fiance, cat, and dog. She enjoys reading, gardening, and trying new recipes with cooking and baking. Taylor looks forward to putting her planning and outreach skills to use to help organize and host MEA events. 

Contact:  tparr@mpspride.org

Emily is a 3rd grade teacher at Bowers School. She is in her 2nd year of teaching but has been with the district since 2021 as a student teacher. Emily serves as our Young and Union rep. In this role she supports early career educators to find connections within the union and information to form the building blocks of their careers. When Emily is not planning for the classroom or attending a union event she can be found in her kitchen trying a new recipe. Emily love to balance work and fun in the classroom to promote student excellence. 

Contact:  egunzburg@mpspride.org

Giselle is a math teacher at Manchester High School as well as a building rep. She is originally from Bridgeport, CT, but is now a new Manchester resident! Outside of school, she loves playing games, doing puzzles, and spending time with her husband and dog. As an Imagine College mentor, she gets to see students go through the college application process as well as search and apply for a wide range of scholarships.  As the new MEA Scholarship Coordinator, she is excited to open up opportunities for students to earn scholarship money and celebrate their accomplishments before they leave MHS. If you have any questions or ideas surrounding the scholarship, please reach out! 

Contact:  ggarcia@mpspride.org