Longtime OSEA Eugene Chapter 1 member Sally Duerfeldt will bring passion and purpose to improving the lives of professional classified and licensed educators as the newest member and only classified educator on the Oregon Educator Benefits Board (OEBB).
Oregon’s legislature confirmed her appointment to OEBB Tuesday by a Senate floor vote. There are tens of thousands of classified educators across the state, but this is the first time a classified worker will sit on OEBB. Her appointment is the result of advocacy by OSEA members during the 2023 legislative session for more representation on key state boards and commissions.
OSEA helped pass HB 3383 which requires that classified voices be included in the decision-making bodies of education agencies. In addition to OEBB, Zone I Director Misty Talerico, a longtime OSEA member from Tillamook Chapter 28, sits on the Educator Advancement Council and two more classified await appointment to the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) and the State Board of Education.
Duerfeldt is ready to hit the ground running at OEBB. As the Classified Benefits Coordinator for the Eugene School District — a fairly unique position bargained by her chapter — Duerfeldt is well-versed in the world of educator benefits and sees huge potential in this new role to expand support to classified and licensed educators across the state.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to go beyond what I’m capable of doing now in my current role and to have a platform to make further improvements to classified benefits and wellness resources,” she said. “I have a huge heart for people who are just struggling to make ends meet and often end up in positions where they’re forced to choose between their finances and their health.”
Duerfeldt is looking forward to digging into the statewide benefits available to both licensed and classified educators to identify more areas where the state can do better for classified staff. She already knows where she wants to start: improving access to preventative care. She said employees often pay fully out of pocket until they meet what can be a very high deductible for scans and tests that could catch early warning signs of illness.
“We know that is a huge expense for classified, who can have some of the lowest incomes, and for some people that’s a barrier to getting early intervention,” Duerfeldt said.
With the lived experience of economic fragility, Duerfeldt understands the impact of medical bills on her community. That understanding motivates her to dig deep into the benefits world to find real ways to improve access to healthcare and wellness for all classified and licensed staff.