This is a bittersweet time. I came to SEIU 925 in 2004 and for the past 11 years have served as your President. It has been a tough decision, but I am retiring at the end of this year.
I came to SEIU 925 having served as a community and labor organizer and as a middle school teacher, mostly in low-income communities. Before being elected President, I was honored to serve as Organizing Director, Early Learning Division Director, Member Strength Director, and Executive Vice President at 925.
There is never a dull moment at SEIU 925, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve had our ups and downs and through it all, we have stuck to our vision: to build a just society where all work is valued and all people are honored and respected. It was a joy to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with family child care providers to win the right to be in a union; to win strong contracts at the UW and in our K-12 chapters; and to shine a light on the corporate millionaires/billionaires who refuse to pay their fair share in our communities.
I love the kick-ass legacy of 925 and all 925 members, who work so hard for our communities. I will really miss you all.
I’m proud to introduce Tricia Schroeder as the next SEIU 925 President. She has served as Executive Vice President since 2010, and was elected President at our November 13 online Leadership Assembly. At the same meeting, members nominated and elected Cindy Elizalde as the new Executive Vice President, and Marilyn Botcheos as the new Secretary Treasurer. I’ve had the privilege of working with these amazing women who will take office January 1, and am glad members have chosen to link arms with them in order to lead 925 in the years to come. You can read more about them here.
In solidarity,
Karen Hart
SEIU 925 President 2010-2021