Meet OEA's new Secretary-Treasurer

Rob McFee is no stranger to leadership. Before assuming his new role as Ohio Education Association Secretary-Treasurer in July, 2024, he served in every role from president of the Willoughby-Eastlake Education Association to NEOEA president to a member of the State Teachers Retirement System Board of Directors, and many roles in between. In this episode, Rob McFee looks back at some of the pivotal moments that shaped his journey from being a math teacher in northeast Ohio to being an OEA officer helping amplify the advocacy of educators across the state. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities he has found so far in this new chapter.

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Featured Public Education Matters guests: 

• Rob McFee, OEA Secretary-Treasurer 
  • Rob McFee brings over two decades of dedicated leadership in education and union advocacy to his role as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. While serving as a secondary math teacher in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools, Rob has consistently demonstrated his commitment to advancing the rights and interests of both his students and his members.
  • Rob’s union leadership journey has seen him wear a variety of hats. Most notably, he served nine years as local president and as the NEOEA President from 2018 to 2022. He has also advocated for members while serving on the NEOEA and OEA Board of Directors, and as a member of the State Teachers Retirement System Board of Directors, including a term as chair from 2021 to 2022. As local president, Rob successfully negotiated multiple contracts and served on various levy committees. He led his local union through significant changes, including the construction of new buildings and the aftermath of a fire that devastated the district’s Board of Education Office. His unwavering advocacy for the health, safety, and working conditions of union members underscored his leadership as NEOEA President during the COVID pandemic. Rob believes deeply in the power of collaboration and diversity. For him, leadership means assembling the right team, empowering individuals to succeed, and finding equitable solutions through collective effort.
  • As OEA Secretary-Treasurer, Rob is dedicated to upholding financial transparency and accountability. Working closely with the leadership team, Rob is committed to amplifying OEA’s voice in advocating for public education. He believes passionately in racial, social, and economic justice, viewing diversity as a cornerstone of strength within the OEA. Rob’s vision for an inclusive education system demonstrates his commitment to ensuring all students and educators have the resources they need to succeed.

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