Barbara Rheault of Atlantic County, Robert La Morte of Bergen County, and Laurie Gibson-Parker of Camden County have been elected by NJEA’s policy making Delegate Assembly (DA) to serve on the NEA Board of Directors.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NEA director elections were conducted through mail balloting with D.A. members from April 21 to May 5. Under the D.A. rules, a candidate for NEA director must receive more than 50% of the valid ballots cast to be elected.
Five candidates were nominated as candidates for the three available seats. In addition to Rheault, La Morte and Gibson-Parker, the nominees were Theresa Fuller of Somerset County and Stacy Yanko of Sussex County.
Rheault received 52.86% of the 70 ballots cast to win in the first round of balloting. In the second round of balloting La Morte and Gibson-Parker were declared elected after receiving 55% and 52.5% respectively.
The NEA Board of Directors is responsible for setting general policies between annual NEA Representative Assembly (NEA RA) meetings. It consists of at least one director from each state affiliate, at-large directors to meet representational guarantees, and representatives for students and retired members. Each state is entitled to an additional director per 20,000 active and life members. New Jersey holds nine state seats on the NEA Board of Directors.
Rheault, La Morte and Gibson-Parker will serve three-year terms from Sept. 1, 2021 to Aug. 31, 2024.