Our OSEA Member of the Year is Kim Greenlee of Reynolds Chapter 37!
OSEA State President Sarah Wofford and Public Relations Committee Chair Alison Celsi surprised Kim with her award last week at her school, with her coworkers, friends, daughter and son-in-law on hand to celebrate her hard work and dedication.
"Kim is an incredible educator, unionist and all-around human being," President Wofford said. "She pours so much time and energy into lifting up her students, coworkers and chapter. As a member's union, OSEA is stronger because of members like Kim, who make each of our chapters unique and special."
OSEA’s Member of the Year is selected by the past state presidents from the nominations submitted by chapters. Kim first joined OSEA in 1995 and has been an invaluable member of her chapter for the last 30 years. She served on the chapter executive board for 14 years and on the bargaining team for six years. She’s been on the school board endorsement panel, the chapter scholarship committee, submitted testimony for OSEA’s Work Shouldn’t Hurt campaign and been a Steward for her building. A committed union member, she has supported picket lines in two neighboring districts and carried her chapter banner in many local parades.
“After the shock wore off, I feel really honored,” Kim said. After so many years of active union work, “it’s nice to know that the work you do, people see.”
She was nominated by two of her former chapter presidents, Suzi Mutschler and Cindy Dominiak. Suzi said Kim became her go-to person whenever help was needed.
“She enters into every task with a ‘can do’ attitude and willingness to accomplish the task at hand,” Suzi said. “I just knew I could always count on her. She was up for anything. She would always help.”
Kim is an Educational Assistant in a Functional Life Skills classroom at Woodland Elementary School, where she works with medically fragile students. She’s worked at Woodland since the school opened in 1997, filling pretty much every role an EA can have in her building at one point or another. Suzi described Kim as the face of OSEA for new coworkers in her area.
“When new people come in, she shows them the contract, she’s teaching them their jobs, she’s helping them understand their job boundaries so no one can take advantage,” Suzi said. “She’s a really good go-to person.”
Kim first became involved with OSEA when she encountered an issue with her paycheck. She reached out to her union president, and before long, she was serving on her chapter’s executive board. Through the years, Kim said she’s learned so much about how we can work together to help our coworkers and contribute to something bigger than ourselves.
“I would love to see everybody just try it,” Kim said. “I think everybody should get involved a little bit. You can stay in your comfort zone, but push it a little bit. Because I’ve met wonderful people through the years, all over the state.”
“It’s kind of hard to put it into words,” she said. “I love what I do, I love my job, I love OSEA. I’ve met wonderful people, and I’m so glad that I feel like everything I’ve done has contributed to something better.”