Union Leaders

Overview

Union Leaders

Every other year, delegates to the CFT Convention elect the President, Secretary Treasurer and 24 Vice Presidents. The officers and presidents of the five Division Councils comprise the CFT Executive Council.

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President

Jeffery M. Freitaswas elected CFT President in March 2019 after serving as CFT Secretary Treasurer for eight years. A credentialed secondary math teacher, Freitas has advocated on behalf of members and the education community for more than two decades as president of the Carpinteria Association of United School Employees, AFT Local 2216, and as a field representative and lobbyist for the CFT. In his role as CFT President, Freitas serves as a Vice President of the AFT and the California Labor Federation, a member of the Governor’s Council for Post-Secondary Education, and a board member of Equality California.

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Secretary Treasurer

Luukia Smith serves as CFT Secretary Treasurer. Prior to this position, Smith was president of the CFT Council of Classified Employees, representing paraprofessionals and classified employees in the Federation. She also served as president of her local union, the El Camino Classified Employees, AFT Local 6142, for 16 years, representing staff at El Camino College in Torrance.  Smith worked in the accounting department at the college for 30 years. 

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Senior Vice President

L. Lacy Barnes, an instructor of psychology at Reedley College is the Senior Vice President of CFT. Barnes, who holds a doctorate, is former president of the State Center Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1533, representing full-and part-time faculty at Reedley and Fresno City Colleges in the Central Valley.

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Vice Presidents

The 24 vice presidents typically hold leadership positions in their local unions, and together they represent the broad spectrum of educators and support staff represented by the CFT. 

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Division Council Leaders

Experienced educators lead each of the CFT’s five division councils. Representatives from constituent local unions of each division elect their council leaders in biennial elections.

EC/TK-12 COUNCIL

Rico Tamayo is president of the EC/TK-12 Council. Rico Tamayo, an elementary school teacher for 20-plus years in Compton and Pico Rivera, heads the Early Childhood/TK-12 Council. Tamayo has served as a site representative and is former president of the El Rancho Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 3467, in Pico Rivera.
 

COUNCIL OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

Carl Williams is president of the Council of Classified Employees, the division representing paraprofessionals and support staff. Williams leads the Lawndale Federation of Classified Employees, AFT Local 4529, representing staff at in the Lawndale Elementary School District, where he works as a custodian.

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNCIL

Jim Mahler is president of the Community College Council and leader of the AFT Guild, Local 1931. He serves on the executive board of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council and teaches engineering, math and physics in the San Diego Community College District.
 

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

Mia McIver advocates on behalf of non-tenure-track faculty and librarians at University of California campuses. She teaches literature and writing as a lecturer at UCLA, where she has also served members as president of UC-AFT Local 1990.

 

COUNCIL OF RETIRED MEMBERS

Dennis Cox was elected president of the Council of Retired Members after serving six years as the division’s first Southern Vice President. He taught high school English and language arts for 47 years, mostly in the ABC Unified School District, where he was a substitute for nine years after he retired. He is a member of the ABC Federation of Teachers, Retiree Chapter, AFT Local 2317-R.