Todd Jaeck, CEA’s new executive director, begins his position today. His two decades of labor organizing experience span the full range of union work, including leadership development, staff management, collective bargaining, education policy, member advocacy, political action, and membership recruitment, retention, and engagement.
Before taking the helm at CEA, Jaeck led the South Carolina Education Association as executive director, growing membership retention by more than 250% and increasing the association’s profile in government relations through focused member engagement. Earlier in his career, he worked as a UniServ director in South Carolina and Ohio before taking on the role of membership consultant for the Ohio Education Association in response to anti-union campaigns. He was instrumental in launching Ohio’s New Educators (ONE), an early career educator network supporting teachers in the first 10 years of their careers.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and an M.A. in teaching from South Carolina’s Winthrop University, Jaeck began his career as a business, IT, and journalism teacher in North and South Carolina public schools.
“We are excited to have Todd join us,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “His vast experience in education, union advocacy, and leadership will serve our members well. As a former teacher, Todd understands firsthand the unique challenges in our classrooms and will use his personal experience as an educator and manager to advocate for public education and the teaching profession.”
“CEA is a strong union that for 176 years has successfully elevated the teaching profession and advocated for changes to improve public education,” says Jaeck. “I am honored to be part of this association and look forward to continuing the vital work that supports students and teachers, including addressing teacher shortage, recruitment, and retention efforts and ensuring teachers are respected and compensated for the important work they do.”
Jaeck replaces Don Williams, who after nine years at CEA and a long and distinguished political career in the Connecticut legislature, retired in October.
