Officers

Iris K. Salters, President

Mail: PO Box 2573, East Lansing, MI
Phone: 800-292-1934
E-mail: isalters@mea.org

Iris K. Salters assumed her position as president of the 160,000-member Michigan Education Association in February 2006. She had served as vice president of the association since 1999. Her term as president expires Aug. 31, 2011.

Salters earned an undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in speech pathology, teaching of educable mentally impaired, and secondary education. She holds two master’s degrees from Western, one in teaching the disadvantaged and the other in middle school education.

Salters was employed by Kalamazoo Public Schools for 25 years as a special education classroom teacher, consultant and speech pathologist. She was then elected president of the Kalamazoo Education Association/Kalamazoo Public Schools, a position she held from 1992-1999.

Her advocacy for children and quality education led to service as a member of the MEA Board of Directors, the MEA Executive Committee, the MEA/NEA Resolutions Committee as well as other committees and task forces on the local, state and national levels. She currently serves on the boards or executive committees of several organizations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Accident Fund, the Michigan Prospect, the Lansing Branch of the NAACP, and the Michigan Democratic Party.

Salters is the recipient of several awards, including the Leroy Bartoo Award, the Sisyphus Award, Partners in Education Award for Kalamazoo County, and Women of Distinction-YWCA-Kalamazoo. She is married to husband, Norman, and has two adult children, Michele and Dalas.

Steven B. Cook, Vice President

Mail: PO Box 2573, East Lansing, MI
Phone: 800-292-1934
E-mail: stcook@mea.org

Steven B. Cook was first elected vice president of MEA in April 2006. His term expires Aug. 31, 2011. Cook had served as secretary-treasurer of the association since 1991.

President of the Lansing Educational Assistants from 1981 to 1993, Cook was a paraprofessional for 15 years in Lansing Public Schools, working as a community school coordinator, home/school liaison in the elementary attendance project and in alternative education. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University with emphasis in history, economics and political science.

Peggy McLellan, Secretary Treasurer

Mail: PO Box 2573, East Lansing, MI
Phone: 800-292-1934
E-mail: pmclellan@mea.org

Peggy McLellan was elected secretary-treasurer of MEA in April 2006. Her term expires Aug. 31, 2011.

McLellan is a high school teacher from Reese, where she taught English and science for 32 years. McLellan held several offices in the Reese Professional Education Association, including president.

McLellan served for 10 years on the MEA Board of Directors. She was president of the Michigan Education Special Services Association Board of Trustees. She earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University.

Lu Battaglieri, Executive Director

Mail: PO Box 2573, East Lansing, MI
Phone: 800-292-1934
E-mail: lbattaglieri@mea.org

Luigi “Lu” Battaglieri became executive director of the MEA in February 2006. He had served as president of the association since 1999.

Prior to his election as president, Battaglieri was president of MEA/NEA Local 1 which represents school employees in Wayne and Macomb counties. He also served as a member of the MEA and the NEA boards of directors. Battaglieri was a regional director for the National Council of Urban Education Associations, and has served on numerous other committees and task forces at the state and national levels.

Battaglieri taught social studies, math and computer classes as well as classes for at-risk students in the Fraser public schools from 1974 to 1992.

An alumnus of Michigan State University with undergraduate and master’s degrees, Battaglieri did his student teaching in Rome, Italy, at the Overseas School of Rome. He is married. Battaglieri has three adult children.

Updated: August 17, 2009 11:21 AM