LeRoy Barr

LeRoy Barr is the secretary of the United Federation of Teachers, where he also serves as staff director, overseeing the daily operation of the union’s extensive organizing and both the pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff at its central office. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Howard University and his master’s in education from Hunter College, where he was inducted into the Hunter College Hall of Fame in 2015.

As staff director, Barr plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the union operates at the highest caliber and that its chapter leaders, executive board members and delegates to the conventions of the union’s state and national affiliates have the resources and training necessary to advocate successfully for the union’s members.

Barr began his teaching career in 1992 as a fifth-grade teacher and math specialist at PS 154 in Harlem. The school, struggling to meet state standards, was placed on a watch list and selected for inclusion in the Chancellor’s District to receive intensive academic intervention and supports. Barr was PS 154’s chapter leader, and in that role he worked with school leaders and staff to orchestrate an impressive turnaround. PS 154 was ultimately removed from the watch list and became a national model for successful schools. Barr was tapped to become a regional representative for the Chancellor’s District, serving as the union’s point person for the district citywide.

Barr also chaired the AFT Black Caucus, helping to raise more than $20,000 that went to providing information about the AIDS epidemic to educators in Africa. He currently serves on the board of directors of New York State United Teachers and is a member of the AFT Black Caucus’ state chapter and the AFT Latino Caucus, the UFT’s African Heritage Committee, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and the National Education Association. He completed advanced labor union leadership training at the Union Leadership Institute at Cornell University.

Barr has received numerous honors from both the union and civil rights organizations, including the Pioneer Award from the AFT Black Caucus, the Trailblazer Award from the UFT’s African Heritage Committee and the Black Heritage Brotherhood Award from the New York branch of the NAACP.