Union Leaders
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
AFT Vice Presidents
Delegates to the biennial AFT Convention elect officers of our national union. Three CFT leaders represent California as vice presidents on the AFT Executive Council.
Jeffery M.
Freitas
CFT President
Juan Ramirez
AFT President of United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT Local 1021
Carl Williams
President, CFT Council of Classified Employees and Lawndale
Federation of Classified Employees, AFT Local 4529