ISEA Leaders
President: Tammy Wawro
Tammy Wawro, an educator serving as the resolution Team Facilitator in the Cedar Rapids School District and as the Cedar Rapids Education Association president, was elected the Iowa State Education Association's (ISEA) president in April 2012 by member delegates who attended the ISEA's annual meeting in Des Moines. Tammy has been involved in a variety of Association roles throughout her career, including serving as vice president of the ISEA since 2008. Tammy received National Board Certification in 1999. She received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1995 and a master's degree in educational technology in 2002.
Nationally, Tammy has been a trainer for the National Education Association's (NEA) Family School Community Partnership and a presenter for the Center for Collaborative Solutions. She was named winner of the Mildred Middleton Mentoring Leadership Award in 2006. Tammy is married with three children.
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 eight years. Prior to joining the NEA staff, Mary Jane served as a UniServ director with the Alabama Education Association. She 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: Mike BeranekMike Beranek was elected Vice President of the ISEA in April 2012. A third-grade teacher at Western Hills Elementary School in West Des Moines for 24 years, Mike has served as the ISEA's representative on the NEA Board of Directors since 2009. He's been active in the Asssociation as a member of the ISEA Executive Board, a participant on the Iowa Department of Education Standards and Assessment
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: Ray FeussRay Feuss has taught for 12 yeas, the past 11 in Cedar Rapids. He currently teaches fourth grade at Kenwood Elementary. ray has held a variety of positions in the Cedar Rapids Eduction Association and is a member of the ISEA Executive Board. Ray also chaired the ISEA Resolutions and new Business Committee for six years,and was a member of the NEA REsolutions Committee for five years. Ray was elected as an NEA Director for ISEA in April 2012.
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.
NEA Director At-Large: Dr. Lisa Payne Ossian .jpg)
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.
