Hi, I am Tani! ​

I come from a proud line of educators and union members. I am a member of the same local my grandmother helped start, and I am proud to continue and build upon her influence.

 

My journey in education began early—back in high school, I worked as a crossing guard supervisor as part of my first role in the ESP ranks. After graduating from The Evergreen State College, I returned to school life as a paraprofessional, where I supervised the playground, helped out in classrooms, and cared for students in the health room. After four years in that role, I earned my Master’s in Teaching and stepped into my first classroom—which just happened to be the same room my grandmother once taught in. I started out teaching 3rd grade, then transitioned into teaching elementary PE, which I’ve been doing ever since and truly love.

 

Early on, I realized that if I really wanted to advocate for students and educators, I had to go beyond just joining the union—I had to get involved. In my second year, I joined the bargaining team, not realizing that I’d stick with it for over 15 years, including six as lead bargainer.

 

The deeper I got involved in union work, the more passionate I became. I eventually served five years as President of the Mercer Island Education Association. We’re a proud wall-to-wall union, representing both certificated and ESP staff—and we’re stronger because of it. One of the most memorable moments during my time as president was organizing a one-day walkout alongside Seattle and Issaquah Education Associations. We brought 6,000 members into the streets of Seattle to demand better funding for our schools. Another proud moment came three years later, when our bargaining team, under my leadership, negotiated a 25% raise for ESPs and a 15% raise for certificated staff.

 

After stepping down as local president, I stayed involved by training members through WEA’s Certification Cadre and serving as vice president of the WEA-Sammamish UniServ Council. When the council president position unexpectedly opened up, my union siblings asked me to run and I was honored to step up.

 

In this role, I’ve had the chance to build strong connections across multiple locals, support and uplift future leaders, and center equity in everything we do. I’m incredibly proud that, thanks to the hard work of our council leaders and staff, we’ve grown both our membership and WEAPAC contributions over the past three years—something not many councils can say.

 

As Council President, I also serve on the WEA Board and have been elected multiple times to the WEA Executive Committee. I now sit on the Budget and Finance Committee, where we’re tackling tough financial questions and working hard to keep our union strong and sustainable.

 

Through it all, I’ve been lucky to have the steadfast support of my family. I am especially grateful to my daughter, a graduate of Seattle Public Schools, an education that provided her the skills to follow a career in social justice work in Oakland, California. Additionally I am honored by her support in building this very website for me, her tech skills which started in her elementary school computer lab (Thank you Mr. Pat). And Lastly to my amazing husband! He keeps us grounded—literally feeding the family most nights and supporting me in countless ways so I can stay fully committed to the work I love.

*Education Week, Seattle Teachers Stage Walkout Over Funding, May 20, 2015