LORRETTA JOHNSON is the executive vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, elected at the AFT national convention in July 2008. Dr. Lorretta Johnson also serves as president of the Baltimore Teachers Union's paraprofessional chapter, and as chair of the AFT Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel program and policy council. Previously, she served as president of AFT-Maryland for 17 years.

Before becoming AFT executive vice president, Johnson was an AFT vice president for 30 years.

Johnson started her career in 1966 as a teacher's aide at a Baltimore elementary school, where she earned $2.25 an hour and received no benefits. To improve the work situation of paraprofessionals like her, she organized them into the Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU). In 1970, she negotiated the union's first contract, which had a grievance procedure as its hallmark. That experience laid the foundation for Johnson's union activism; her efforts have helped the BTU become a lobbying and political force in city hall, the Baltimore community and the Maryland state Legislature. Over the years, she also served as chief negotiator for teacher and paraprofessional contracts.

Johnson holds several leadership positions outside of the AFT. She is vice president of the Maryland Metropolitan Council, AFL-CIO; a trustee for the Maryland State AFL-CIO; and director of the Municipal Employees Credit Union in Baltimore. In August 2008, Johnson was named treasurer of the national board of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) and she serves as president of the Baltimore chapter of APRI. She is the assistant treasurer for the Baltimore County chapter of the NAACP. And, Johnson's political activism resulted in her being named 2005 Labor Leader of the Year by the Maryland Democratic Party. Ebony magazine included her in an article titled "Blacks of Influence in Unions."

Johnson received her teaching degree through the Career Opportunities Program at Coppin State University in Maryland. She has received numerous awards, including an honorary doctorate degree from Coppin State, a community service award from the United Way, and a volunteer service award from the Maryland State AFL-CIO. Johnson also was a recipient of the Albert Shanker PSRP Pioneer Award and the Service Award from the Baltimore Teachers Union's paraprofessional chapter.

Johnson is the proud mother of three children, whom she raised with her late husband, Leonard. She has seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

(July 7, 2009)