GEA Election Candidates Bios

1/27/2021

Check your email for the link to vote!
Voting is open Feb. 2 - Feb. 19

President (Two Year Term)

Michele Jones
I am running for GEA President because I love teaching and I love our Association. I am passionate about our profession and I hold a deep respect for my fellow educators. I have seen our educational system from multiple perspectives: as a parent, PTA volunteer, reading tutor, and math teacher. I understand that our Association represents members from many perspectives and that our strength is in our unified voice. These are difficult times, and we need strong leadership to guide us through. I am committed to listen to our members, amplify educator voice throughout our District and lead our Association through these difficult times in a way that that makes us stronger and more supportive of each other. I have served you on the GEA Board for the last 6 years. I have served as a Building Representative for the last 8 years. I would love to serve you as your next GEA President, I would be honored to have your vote.

Vice President (Two Year Term)

Katie Anderton
My name is Katie Anderton and I have been a teacher for 10 years. I first became a member of GEA when I was student teaching. I have had the privilege of being my building representative for most of my career, gone to three NEA Representative Assembly, and I am currently a board member. I want to become more involved in GEA to help support and represent our dedicated educators. I have a passion and commitment for my work that will make me an effective representative. I know and have seen that GEA is always there for our members and will always go to bat for us. I want to be an integral part of helping our members and to be more involved with GEA. I am proud to be a member of this wonderful organization. If I am elected, I would love to represent our amazing educators in a positive way and give back to them and the association that does so much for each of us.

Caren Burns
GEA has a strong history of leadership in our district and state with our work on securing incredible contracts, growing membership, and political action. The reason we are successful is because the voices of our members are powerful, and I am running to make sure that they are amplified even further. Right now, we need bold leaders with creative solutions. This summer, I worked tirelessly to make sure we had a better plan for our schools during a pandemic. I wrote to our school board, I spoke to the Utah State Board of Education, I contacted news outlets to draw attention to educator voices, and I helped plan rallies to draw attention to the need for safer schools. This energy and effort is what I want to bring to the issues in the Granite School District and our association. Please consider giving me your vote for GEA Vice President.

Elementary Seat (Three Year Term)

Heidi Jensen
I’ve been teaching for 14 years in the same Title 1 school. I’ve also been the AR for many years; UEA Elections Committee; UEA-RA Delegate for a few years; I also sat on GEA’s Board many years ago. I want to get back into local leadership because I’m ready to channel my energy into a role that can make a difference for teachers. I believe in the collective power that we have, and I know we can make changes. I hope to lead you in that direction. Being involved on many levels has made me a better advocate for members and I believe that the fight to get what our students deserve and need to be successful is priority one right now! I would be pleased to represent you as a colleague who is ready to make “good trouble”. Please honor me with your vote for GEA Board - Elementary Seat.

Haley Kelley
My name is Haley Kelley and I am running for the Elementary Seat on the GEA Board. I have been a teacher at David Gourley Elementary—a Title 1 school—in Granite School District for 6 years. In these past six years as an educator, I have watched policies develop, and I have seen their impact on students and teachers. My interest in assisting to create solid policies has continually grown as I learned more about the process of political change. After the unusual experiences of 2020, I want to be involved in making decisions which provide meaningful learning for my students, and a positive work environment for fellow teachers. With a master’s degree in Curriculum Design, 2 years serving as my school’s GEA representative, and as a younger teacher in our district, I feel that I bring a progressive ideology to the table. I want to use my learning and my experiences to become a trusted voice for teachers. Our amazing educators deserve to be heard and appreciated for the pivotal role they play in our students’ lives.

At Large Seat (Three Year Term)

David Page
Years ago, I began working within our great organization beyond simply being a dues paying member. I was elected as an AR at Matheson Junior High. At the end of that year, I voluntarily moved to Cyprus High School in anticipation of the 9th grade reconfiguration. I was dissatisfied with the GEA representation there and decided to run for AR the following year. I served as AR for many years at Cyprus High School where I helped get teachers more involved with the association and helped to navigate the school through tumultuous waters. I am also pleased to report that, through collective effort, Cyprus’ membership has grown dramatically. I have met and worked with several amazing people and have represented you at the NEA representative assembly two years running. I believe that I bring a valuable perspective as a science teacher and I am committed to the work of this union.

Specialist Seat (One Year Only)

Kimberly Cretsinger
My name is Kimberly Cretsinger and I have been a Granite teacher and GEA member for 19 years. I have had the privilege of serving as my Building Representative for many years, attending three NEA RAs, and have been a GEA board member for the last 2 years. In the time I’ve spent working with GEA, one thing has been made crystal clear: GEA always has the back of Granite teachers and goes to bat for us with every bit of energy they have. I have learned how being fiscally responsible is a priority to GEA, the power its members’ voices have over concerns taken to the District Superintendents and Board, as well as how seriously our needs are taken by GEA during contract negotiations. I am so proud to be part of this amazing union, and it would be my privilege to serve another term.

NEA RA Delegates

Desarae Page
Two years ago, I had the privilege to attend the RA in Houston as a Future Educator. It was a life changing opportunity. I’ve never seen democracy in action that way, standing surrounded by so many others forging a way into the future. As educators we have a unique insight into working with others to make the world a better and more just place. That was what I experienced that summer. Now is a time when we need brave persons willing to fight for our students, our schools, and our country. I would like to be a representative in just such a fight. I don’t know what this next summer will hold after the year we have had. But I would like the chance to do my best to make a difference and to be an active part of the solution making rather than just idly watching from the sidelines.

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