CTPF Trustee Goals

As the current Financial Secretary/CTPF Trustee, my goals include but are not limited to the following:

• Trustee Board approved timeline to divest from fossil fuels/invest in clean energy.
• With CTU leadership to fight Tier 2 Pension which is unconscionable.
• Eliminate 3^rd party vendors who are not entitled to a CTPF pension.
• To continue to support and enforce the initiatives currently approved and put in place by past/present Trustees that does not advance the lives of working people such as guns, tobacco, non-union charter operators, hedge fund managers, those forcing out black, veteran teachers and staff and others that use our pension's funds to undermine public education.
• To enforce due diligence along with the Executive Director and assist in the hiring and monitoring of independent advisers and staff to not only meet but exceed the goals and objectives of the fund in the best interest of the CTPF annuitants and contributing members.
• Protect, enforce and insure that all qualified workers pay their fair share into the fund by closely monitoring the proliferation of charter schools and enforcing their contributions into the fund.
• To be an empowered CTPF Trustee that speaks boldly to encourage investments with women and minority asset management firms, and is dedicated to the fiduciary responsibility to the participants and members of growing, securing and protecting our pensions by cultivating trustee worker power on the fund.

CTPF Fiduciary Responsibilities

• As the current Financial Secretary and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, I am responsible for monitoring all financial expenditures, recoupment and auditing of all funds spent/owed to the fund in all departments along with the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer.
• As a former CTU Officer liaison to the CTPF trustees, (2001-2004), it was my responsibility to understand the current state of the fund by building support from trustees and staff leadership, sourcing and learning investment categories, attending Senate hearings investigating the disproportionate number of qualified diverse managers and firms that were not given the opportunity to manage even a small portion of the fund’s assets.  
• The qualities and skill that I possess that would make me an effective CTPF trustee are integrity, honesty, character, professionalism, commitment, diligence, a knowledge of the inner workings of the fund, a bold voice that is willing to demand accountability and question inconsistencies as well as diligently fulfilling fiduciary responsibilities to the fund. Work with the fund President Executive Director and Trustees to create policies that support timely, relevant execution of fund business.
• Continue using my 30+ years of experience as a CTU teacher and former CTPF Officer Liaison to strengthen and build the CTPF.
• Continue to work with the AFT Trustee Leadership initiatives to strengthen and inform trustee leadership roles across the nation and the world.
• Continue to open lines of effective communication to inform and educate CTU Teachers about the importance of pensions from their first to last year of service, and into retirement.
• Continue to work with CTU Officers on all issues, legislative and otherwise to insure the integrity and life of pensions for active and retired teachers for years to come.

 Goals of Workers Rights to a Pension

• As a pension trustee I would fight for the initiatives of reduction of litigation fees with 3^rd – party vendors, reduction/elimination of overpayments with the new pension administration system, financial transaction tax, TIF funding directed toward public education, and that every qualified charter school teacher and staff pay their fair share into the pension fund.
• As a pension trustee I will oppose asset managers that participate in toxic swaps and any corrupt corporate activities that invest in the demise and/or gentrification of public education and UNDERMINE the City, Communities, and the Schools that we All DESERVE.
• As a pension trustee I will oppose racist practices and biases at high levels at the expense of talented people of color specifically ignoring women and minority firms that are categorically out performing majority firms that expect to be awarded the lion’s share of CTPF assets. I will commit to rendering my vote to invest with diverse assets managers and firms and ask the hard questions of those who oppose this practice.

Relationship between CTPF Trustee and Stakeholders

• As a CTPF trustee I envision the relationship with CTU leadership would be one of collaboration, fiduciary responsibility, trust, united collective voice of workers who contribute billions of dollars of worker funds, accountability, advocacy for the successful growth of the fund to provide annuitants and contributing members with a safe secure retirement.
• I envision the development of a comprehensive united goal oriented measurable plan of initiatives that will sustain the fund such as re-instituting the commuter tax, completely divesting from hedge funds, committing to diversity to generate better returns, TIF redirection to public education, employee pay raises annually, guaranteed employer pension contributions, and improved health care/contributions for active and retired workers to name a few.

Disclaimer: CTPF is not responsible for the content of this material and has not verified any of the information.