AFT Vice President
Sandra Schroeder was elected president of AFT Washington, the state federation, in May 2001 and appointed to the AFT Higher Education program and policy council the following fall.

Originally from Kansas, she has lived in Seattle since 1975 and taught English at Seattle Central Community College since 1979. She was president of the Seattle Community Colleges Federation of Teachers for two terms and held several other seats on their Board. She also served four years as AFT Washington Vice President for Community Colleges and terms as secretary and treasurer. In 1998, she worked as the federation lobbyist and as a project organizer for Washington State Labor Council.

Under her leadership, AFT Washington has scored many victories. On the organizing front, the federation has added one community college, two universities, approximately 300 childcare teachers, a retiree chapter, and several agency shops to its ranks.

In the legislative arena, AFT Washington continues to lead the nation in advances for part-time and contingent faculty as well as fighting for full-time faculty and classified employees. The federation has more fully developed its political action and COPE programs and its member and leader training.

In 2006, Sandra was appointed to serve as a vice-president of the Washington State Labor Council. She also serves as a board member of the Economic Opportunity Institute and has been a member of the Governor’s Competitiveness Council and Higher Education Collaborative Advisory Group as well as the Higher Education Coordinating Board Advisory Committee.