Karen Vinston
CCEU Endorsed Candidate for PFT Paraprofessional Group Representative
Karen Vinston is one of the three Paraprofessional Group Representatives on the PFT Executive Board. She is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Public School system. After graduating, she continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications in 1983. She is currently working towards a Masters degree and hopes to complete her studies after her youngest son's high school graduation.
Karen began her union work as a volunteer in 1996, working phone banks, doing registration, and stuffing envelopes for mass mailings to the membership.
Karen has attended the PFT General Membership meetings for the past 15 years. She also has been a participant in the PFT’s ER&D classes, and has been a member of the Paraprofessional Steering Committee. She is currently the secretary of the PFT Paraprofessional Steering Committee.
Being part of the Paraprofessional Steering Committee gave her a voice, and she soon became very involved—joining other committees including her school-based PFT Building Committee. For the past six years, she has been the Paraprofessional Building Rep. for Roosevelt.
Karen has been a volunteer for the PFT union picnic and is a member of the Labor Day Parade Committee. She has been a member of the Quest Committee, and is currently a member of the Constitution and Bylaws committee.
Karen is a trainer for PFT’s ER&D program and a facilitator for the paraprofessional course, Managing Anti-Social Behavior. She has been trained to teach different strands of the American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) Strategies for Student Success.
She has provided professional development for the PPS paraprofessionals, including PD for the district’s Summer Institute. Karen has attended many conferences as a PFT paraprofessional representative including the PSRP Conference, the AFT National Conventions, AFT-PA Conventions, and local conferences.
Her goal is to continue to work diligently to promote the advancement of paraprofessionals’ well being and ensure that paraprofessionals’ efforts are recognized.
Karen began her union work as a volunteer in 1996, working phone banks, doing registration, and stuffing envelopes for mass mailings to the membership.
Karen has attended the PFT General Membership meetings for the past 15 years. She also has been a participant in the PFT’s ER&D classes, and has been a member of the Paraprofessional Steering Committee. She is currently the secretary of the PFT Paraprofessional Steering Committee.
Being part of the Paraprofessional Steering Committee gave her a voice, and she soon became very involved—joining other committees including her school-based PFT Building Committee. For the past six years, she has been the Paraprofessional Building Rep. for Roosevelt.
Karen has been a volunteer for the PFT union picnic and is a member of the Labor Day Parade Committee. She has been a member of the Quest Committee, and is currently a member of the Constitution and Bylaws committee.
Karen is a trainer for PFT’s ER&D program and a facilitator for the paraprofessional course, Managing Anti-Social Behavior. She has been trained to teach different strands of the American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) Strategies for Student Success.
She has provided professional development for the PPS paraprofessionals, including PD for the district’s Summer Institute. Karen has attended many conferences as a PFT paraprofessional representative including the PSRP Conference, the AFT National Conventions, AFT-PA Conventions, and local conferences.
Her goal is to continue to work diligently to promote the advancement of paraprofessionals’ well being and ensure that paraprofessionals’ efforts are recognized.