Meet the CAT

ITA President and Teacher on Special Assignment

23 years in the ICSD

I am honored to be the President of the Ithaca Teachers Association. Prior to my time as ITA President I was an English Teacher at DeWitt Middle School. I have been teaching in the ICSD for the past 23 years starting as both a student teacher and substitute teacher. As a unionist, I have served as a Building Rep, the ITA Political Action Committee chair, 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, and now President.

"I'm fighting for all teachers to be paid a fair and equitable salary through a Step and Lane Salary Schedule based exclusively on their years of service and their professional learning!  But I'm also fighting to make the sometimes difficult work between the district and the union more transparent, collaborative, and supportive." 

Boynton Middle School German 

16 Years in ICSD, 19 years overall

ICSD taxpayer

I have taught German and some French in the ICSD for 15 years.  Most of that time was at DeWitt, although I am now full-time at Boynton (there was also a little IHS in there- just to mix it up).  Aside from teaching, I have been involved in the Union in some role or another for nearly 10 years now. I started as a building rep, stepped up into Health and Safety, switched into PPR&R and now am the 1st VP.

"Our new T-shirts say it all- teacher working condition are student learning conditions. Moreover, we know that when we teach our students, that we have to teach the human first and I firmly believe that this translates over to the experience working here as well.  I do this work to make sure that our humanity is centered in the conversations we have and the expectations we build."

IHS, Economics & AP Human Geography, 16th year in ICSD

"I'm fighting for competitive salaries!"

South Hill Elementary, 1st Grade Exceptional Education Teacher, 4th year at ICSD, 12th year overall, parent of two ICSD students, ICSD taxpayer

"I'm fighting to build a better contract that is inclusive and represents the diverse work all our members do to serve the students in the Ithaca City School District. This includes a competitive, attractive, predictable, and incentivizing salary." 

9th year Special Education Teacher 

Caroline ITA Rep

"I'm fighting for contractual support for our shared vision of inclusion through more co-planning time and keeping caseloads and the number of unique co-teaching assignments more reasonable. I'm also fighting for better pay through step-and-lane and paid family leave that supports teachers having time to raise their families!"

Kindergarten Teacher

11 years in ICSD, 20+ overall

ICSD Parent and Taxpayer

I have been an elementary and early childhood educator for 2+ decades, and have been a Kindergarten teacher for ICSD for the last eleven  years. I've had the pleasure of teaching at Beverly J. Martin and at Caroline Elementary.  I am also the proud mom of 2 graduates of Fall Creek Elementary, Boynton Middle, and Ithaca High School. 

"I am fighting for many things, but efficiency of systems and programming is high on my list. Teachers don't have time or energy to work under outdated conditions or poorly considered structures. I am fighting for a responsive school administration that values our time not only with competitive wages, but also with smart planning for the best 21st century learning practices district-wide."

South Hill Special Education

"A stronger collective bargaining agreement is essential for the quality of education and the well-being of our students. As a special education teacher, my commitment to this effort stems from the belief that when teachers are supported, students thrive. As the cost of living in Ithaca rises, it’s important that teachers receive pay and benefits that reflect these changes, ensuring they can dedicate themselves fully to their students. This includes access to healthcare, retirement, and family leave, all of which contribute to the long-term stability of our schools. Improving working conditions—such as reducing class sizes and providing more resources for professional development—would allow teachers to better engage with students and grow in their practice. Together, we can build a more supportive and thriving school district that benefits everyone involved."

Biological sciences and general science at the Lehman Alternative Community School 

6 years in the district and 9 years overall. 

ICSD taxpayer

"Teaching involves a lot of work, much of which is outside of school hours.  The current pay simply is not commensurate with the task. Honoring the hard work that teachers put in every day with fair pay and good working conditions is very important for morale, and toward respecting the dignity, integrity, and hard work that teachers put in every day. This round of negotiations are essential to keeping our collective bargaining agreement up to date with the change in workload and responsibilities that teachers are being asked to do."

Ithaca High School Art 

14 years in the ICSD—18 overall 

ICSD parent and taxpayer

I came to teaching after working in the fashion industry as an accessory designer and later for the sculptor Jeff Koons. While I loved the creativity of those roles, I discovered the deeper rewards of teaching almost by accident.

"My journey into education began at the Summit School, a special needs school in Flushing, where I started as a teaching assistant. Because of my background in art and design, I was asked to lead a part-time art class—and from day one, I was hooked. Sharing my skills and knowledge, and watching students—especially those who struggled in traditional academic settings—flourish through building and creating, lit something in me. I immediately began pursuing my master’s in education and never looked back.

In 2013, I moved to Ithaca, taking a $30,000 pay cut to join this community, and I’ve been here ever since. For a long time, I balanced two jobs during the school year to make ends meet—until I had kids. These days, I teach during the year and work a summer job when school’s out.

I joined the Ithaca Teachers Association during a time when I felt frustrated and disheartened. Finding a space to speak up, be heard, and help create change brought back the energy I needed. One of my proudest contributions has been helping to implement a new high school attendance system—one that adds accountability and better record-keeping for our students.

It’s been incredibly motivating to work with a team that’s fighting for fair pay and better conditions—so teachers can focus on what brought us here in the first place: the love of teaching, and the passion that led so many of us to pursue our master’s degrees."