ISEA Leaders
President: Chris Bern
Knoxville High School math teacher, Chris Bern, was reelected to a second term as president in April 2010. Chris has been an Association activist throughout his career both at the local and national levels. He served in nearly every leadership position in his local; and at the regional level, he served as president of both the Southwest and South Central UniServ units. Chris spent 11 years on the ISEA Resolutions and New Business Committee and served on the ISEA-PAC Central Committee. He was elected vice president of the ISEA in 2006 and, on the national level, was a member of the NEA Resolutions Committee and is a certified trainer for the NEA's program on school safety and anti-harassment issues.
Executive Director: Mary Jane Cobb
Mary Jane Cobb became executive director of the ISEA in September of 2008. Mary Jane came to the ISEA from our parent organization, the National Education Association, where she served as a Campaigns and Elections field representative for the past 8 years. Prior to joining the NEA staff, Mary Jane served as a UniServ director with the Alabama Education Association. Mary Jane brings to Iowa a deep understanding of the issues facing educators and public education as well as extensive experience in membership organizing and political action.
Vice President: Tammy WawroTammy Wawro, student teaching/mentor coordinator for the Cedar Rapids schools, is serving her second term as vice president of ISEA. Locally, Tammy served as vice president and chief negotiator for the Cedar Rapids Education Association and chaired the membership committee as well as served as a faculty representative. She has been a member of a number of state and national task forces. Tammy received National Board Certification in 1999 and was named winner of the Mildred Middleton Mentoring Leadership Award in 2006.
ISEA Treasurer: Donna Walsh
Donna Walsh, a National Board Certified teacher, is serving a one-year term as ISEA Treasurer and chair of the Budget Committee. She's a second-grade teacher in Sioux City and has been a mentor and mentor trainer for the Sioux City School District. Donna has been involved in a wide array of Association activities including serving as president and vice president of the Sioux City EA. Donna has served as the chair of the rights committee, as state and national delegate, and as Iowa Co-Chair on the PAC committee for Representative Assembly. She is currently president of the Sioux City Education Association.
NEA Director: Mike BeranekMike Beranek was elected to represent ISEA on the NEA Board of Directors in 2009. A third-grade teacher at Western Hills Elementary School in West Des Moines for 23 years, he's been active in the Association as member of the ISEA Executive Board, participant on the Iowa Department of Education Standards and Assessment RttT subgroup, and numerous other committees. Mike was the proud recipient of The Disney American Teacher Award for 2001, being cited for his innovative classroom projects and activities. He also finds time to be involved in a variety of other professional activities, including serving as project coordinator for developing an innovative teacher preparation program with Iowa State University and the Advisory Board for the ISU Education Department.
NEA Director: Kathy WilliamsKathy Williams was reelected to a her second term on the NEA Board of directors in April 2010. A sixth-grade reading and language arts teacher at Wood Intermediate School in Davenport, Kathy has been an advocate for children and public education throughout her 33-year career. In addition to holding a wide variety of leadership positions in the Davenport Education Association and the Great River UniServ unit, she has also been involved in a number of school district committees and professional activities.
NEA Director At-Large: Leslie DakeLeslie Dake currently serves on the NEA Board of Directors representing Education Support Professionals (ESPs). Leslie works at West High School in Sioux City as the Finance/Staff Attendance Secretary and is the past president of the Sioux City ESP Association and current vice president of the Siouxland UniServ Unit. She also serves on the ISEA-PAC Central Committee and ISEA ESP Standing Committee. Leslie started as a one-on-one paraeducator for a third grade student with autism, then transferred to an elementary library, but has found her niche in the high schools working as a receptionist, counseling secretary, and now Finance Secretary.
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NEA Director for Retired: Barbara CunninghamBarbara Cunningham, retired educator from Shenandoah, is a life member of ISEA-Retired and NEA-Retired. She is the current ISEA-Retired Standing Committee chair and serves on the ISEA Executive Board. In 2004, she was elected by NEA-Retired to serve on the NEA Resolutions Committee. She served six years. In the summer of 2010, NEA-Retired members elected her to serve on the NEA Board of Directors. Barbara has been a delegate to the ISEA Delegate Assembly for over 25 years and has been a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly for over 20 years.
