Donna M. Chiera has been elected to one of AFT’s 43 vice president positions. The AFT 2020 election results were revealed Sept. 1 during a Facebook Live session.

“Being elected an AFT national vice president is a great honor but also a huge responsibility, especially through these difficult times,” said Chiera, AFTNJ’s president. “This opportunity will allow me not only to elevate the voices of our pre-K and higher-ed membership to the National Executive Council, but to share the experiences and knowledge of national leaders back here to New Jersey.”

Chiera credited reelected AFT President Randi Weingarten for putting forth an agenda “to address the current financial, health/safety and social justice crises we all face.” 

“I look forward to be part of the team that will pivot from being reactive to these issues to being proactive by developing and implementing a plan that will improve the quality of life for our students, members and communities,” Chiera added.

“It is a great honor to continue to lead this union,” Weingarten said, “and I thank the membership and the delegates for electing this team of exceptional leaders: the 43 vice presidents that you saw who were elected and the Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus and the Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram.”