Earlier this year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made good on her campaign promise of creating a Governor’s Educator Advisory Commission to hear directly from front-line educators – a commission which includes eight MEA members working in schools across the state.

Since then, the governor has also appointed several MEA members to other important commissions to ensure that the voices of public school employees are heard throughout state government:

• Fred Baker, a retired member from Midland and staff retiree from MESSA, was appointed to the Michigan School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) Board. His term, beginning immediately through March 30, 2022, represents the general public with expertise in actuarial science or health insurance.
• Justine Galbraith, a Troy eighth grade Spanish teacher and a volunteer for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, was appointed to the School Safety Commission. Her term begins in January and runs through 2024.
• Wendy Winston, a Grand Rapids middle and high school math teacher, was appointed to the Michigan Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Advisory Council (MI-STEM Council) for a term through Sept. 30, 2021.