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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2001

News Release

National Education Association Elects New Members to Executive Committee

Los Angeles - Delegates to the National Education Association (NEA) Representative Assembly have elected three new members to the NEA Executive Committee. Michael Marks, a high school dramatic arts and debate teacher from Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Rebecca "Becky" Pringle, a physical science teacher from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Mike Billirakis, a high school social studies teacher from Mogadore (Portage County), Ohio, were elected to the Association's nine-member governing body by more than 9,000 NEA delegates.

Pringle received the greatest number of votes in the four-way race to fill two seats on the NEA Executive Committee. The middle school teacher used her candidacy to call for greater advocacy and action on the part of NEA members, whom she dubbed "the guardians of public education." A teacher with 25 years classroom experience, Pringle has held Association positions at the national, state and local levels, including serving on the board of directors of the NEA and the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

Marks, who came in second behind Pringle, most recently served as president of the Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE). A 19-year teaching veteran, he previously served as chair of the Mississippi affiliate's student program and on the MAE board of directors. He is a former Mississippi Teacher of the Year who has received national honors including the Outstanding Teacher of the Performing Arts Award and the Milken National Educator Award.

Pringle and Marks were each elected to three-year terms.

In a special election, Mike Billirakis was selected to fill the unexpired term of Executive Committee member Eddie Davis, who is returning to North Carolina. Billirakis is the outgoing president of the Ohio Education Association. He is a founding member of Ohio's education and business coalition (BEST) and served on the board of directors of the State Teacher's Retirement System of Ohio.

Billirakis will serve for one year, completing Davis' current term.

The new executive committee members will assume their leadership positions in September.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.