Born in Dallas, Texas, Jeff graduated from Brown University and taught for 12 years in Washington, DC, and Inglewood, California. He became the union rep at Barnard Elementary School in his first year as a teacher. While in Inglewood, he taught at Morningside High School and Crozier Middle School and served as vice president of the Inglewood Teachers Association. In 2004, he was hired as an organizer for the California Teachers Association, where he worked until being brought on as Executive Director at UTLA in 2014. As Executive Director, Jeff oversees management of staff and the day-to-day operations of UTLA. During his time at UTLA, members overwhelmingly passed the Build the Future, Fund the Fight campaign to solidify union finances; went on a historic strike that brought 60,000 people to the streets of LA in support of public education and secured significant contract victories on class size, staffing, salary, and community needs; and won nation-leading bargaining agreements on COVID health and safety throughout the pandemic. Jeff is proud to be part of a member-led organizing union that fights for educators, students, and communities as part of a constant effort to make the world a better place.
