Portage Education Association
The Atriums North Ste 1210
4341 S. Westnedge Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Eric VerHey
President
(269) 373-3913
peapresident@yahoo.com
Portage Education Association Executive Board
Eric VerHey
President
peapresident@yahoo.com
Kat Myers
Vice President
Martha Keeler
Treasurer
Sheila Clothier
Secretary
Ben Critz
MEA-RA
bcritz@portageps.org
Gayle McPhilamy
NEA-RA
Stephanie Wagner
NEA-RA
Kent Baker
At large delegate
Jan Mazei
At large delegate
Chris Furlong
MEA RA delegate
Susan Kallewaard
At large delegate
skallewaard@portageps.org
Tim Tallon
At large delegate
Jeff Vanhoven
MEA RA delegate
JVanhoven@mea.org
Andy Blackman
Grievance Chairperson
ablackman@mea.org
Theresa Mills
Communications Chair
TMills@mea.org
David Laing
Chief Negotiator
dlaing@mea.org
Lou Ann Vidmar
MEA Uniserve Director
lvidmar@mea.org
Heather Hinesman
MESSA Representative
Negotiating Team
MEA Field assistants
Kimber Ball, Laura Daugherty, Vera Stafford and Becky Bailey
Gov. Rick Snyder
517-373-3400
Rick.Snyder@michigan.gov
Rep. Jase Bolger
517-373-1787
jasebolger@house.mi.gov
Rep. Sean McCann
517-373-1785
seanmccann@house.mi.gov
Rep. Margaret O’Brien
517-373-1774
margaretobrien@house.mi.gov
Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker
517-373-0793
sentschuitmaker@senate.mi.gov
The Kalamazoo County Education Association
The Kalamazoo County Education Association (KCEA) is an educational, non-profit organization of unionized educators and support personnel in the Greater Kalamazoo area. The Educational Associations (EA's) and Educational Support Personnel (ESP) are both represented within this body. Monthly meetings of the KCEA Coordinating Council are conducted at 5600 Portage Road at the Kal-Port building's second floor. Portage EA is represented by Chairperson, Randy Borden (CHS) and representatives Mary Roobol, Eric VerHey, Sherri Simms, and Mary Roobol.
The following groups are represented within the KCEA:
Climax-Scotts EA Comstock EA/ESP Schoolcraft EA
Galesburg-Augusta EA/ESP Gull Lake EA Kalamazoo Public EA/ESP Kalamazoo Public Librarians/ESP Mattawan EA/ESP Kalamazoo Behavior Specialists
MEA Board MEA Retired MESSA Representative Parchment EA/ESP Portage Teachers (EA)
and the following ESP groups:
Portage Bus Drivers, Secretarial staff, Custodians
MEA Uniserv Directors (Joe Ryan, Denise Pyle, Ana Kinnison)
Democratic Party 
The Executive Board for the PEA is made up of the officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary as well as the MEA - Representative Assembly delegates, the NEA-Representative Delegates and all At-Large elected representative. This group is scheduled to meet three times a month including their attendance at the Representative Council. The purpose of the Executive Board is to discuss local matters that impact or may impact our membership.
All terms are elected by the PEA membership at large and are two-year terms. The seats rotate so that the entire Board is not replaced in any one year, however all the officers run and are elected during the same two year span. Elections are held in conjunction with the MEA Region 5 elections in March. All terms become effective upon the first day of summer break.
The Representative Council (Rep. Council) is a governing body within the PEA. This is a collection of teachers from all 13 schools. The Council meets on the third Monday of each month at 4:15 unless there is a conflict within the school calendar or the Council as agreed to alternate date(s) & time(s). A ratio of 15 members per 1 representative is what the local By-laws stipulate will be allowed. A copy of the Constitution and By-laws is available on this site in the downloads section.
Representatives are required to attend a minimum of 80% of the meetings as well as hold monthly meetings within their buildings so that PEA information is disseminated to the membership. The election of building representatives is to be conducted in the fall at the start of the year. Due to changes in teaching assignments, voluntary/involuntary transfers, etc. the staff may change year to year within any given building making annual elections a necesity.
Feel free to bring any concerns you may have to your building representative for discussion before the Representative Council.