Longtime Public Education Advocate and Organizer Returns to Lead the State’s Largest Educators Union

BURLINGAME – The California Teachers Association Board of Directors today named longtime public education advocate and organizer Joe Boyd as its new Executive Director.

“I’m excited to welcome Joe Boyd back home to CTA to lead us during such a critical time in our profession and our union. He possesses the skill, vision, deep experience and dedication that is needed for the Executive Director position. And I know him to be a passionate advocate for students and the promise of public education, as well as for educators and the teaching profession,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd.

For the past three years Joe Boyd has served as the Executive Director of the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), AFT, AFL-CIO, where he directed all staff operations and programs of the union including political action, community organizing and membership engagement. During his tenure at CFT, Joe helped prepare and execute an internal organizing plan to weather the impact of the Janus v. AFSCME decision.

J. Boyd has been helping educators, parents and communities organize around issues they care about for more than 30 years. His previous time with CTA spanned 23 years, during which he held a variety of positions, including regional organizer, charter school organizer, and Executive Director of Teachers Association of Long Beach (TALB). Joe effectively transitioned TALB out of a trusteeship, deepening his experience leading a member-driven union undergoing organizational change.

“I’m honored to return to CTA at such a pivotal time,” he said. “I look forward to working with the diverse members of CTA as we lead efforts for the quality public schools and colleges that all students deserve. California educators are engaged and ready to lead the way in closing corporate tax loopholes and funding public schools with our Schools and Communities First initiative. I’m excited to lead that charge.”

J. Boyd also served as President of the Advocacy Resource Group, working with clients on public policy, strategy and organizing efforts. Their recent partners include the California Labor Management Initiative, the California Federation of Teachers, and United Teachers Los Angeles, as well as the Advancement Project and the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools – Pritzker Center.

When J. Boyd begins November 1, 2019, he will be in charge of the day-to-day operations of CTA, including the management of 400 employees and the oversight of more than 1,000 local affiliates.

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Click here to read more about Joe Boyd (no relation to CTA President E. Toby Boyd) and his rise from community organizing while attending UC Berkeley, to teaching Government in his early years, and ultimately to his new role as Executive Director of one of the country’s largest unions of educators.  

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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.