Leaders

Leaders are teachers and education support professionals who work in schools every day. They represent the interests of the members who elect them. They also represent the interests of the children we teach. At least one Association Representative is elected by members in every school in Tennessee. Members also elect local, state and national officers, as well as delegates to both the TEA and NEA Representative Assemblies. These delegates are charged with setting association policies, annual budgets, action priorities and electing state and national officers. Would you like to make a difference in your local Association? Contact TEA President Gera Summerford to find out how.

TEA President Gera Summerford
Gera Summerford is a math teacher at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School and has been teaching in Sevier County since 1982. She began her teaching career in Texas after receiving a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and German from Baylor University. She has since earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Tennessee, an education specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University, and licensure in Administration and Supervision.

Summerford has long been an advocate for teachers, serving for many years as chief negotiator for Sevier County Education Association, in addition to numerous other local leadership positions. She has chaired TEA committees including Internal Organizational Needs, NEA Concerns and the New Teacher Committee. She also currently represents TEA on NEA committees for Employee Advocacy and Regional Leadership Conference Planning. Summerford was first elected to the TEA Board of Directors in 2003. She went on to serve as vice president from 2006 to 2010 and was elected president in June 2010. 

Summerford is married to Dale Gilmore, a teacher and local Association leader. They are the proud parents of two young adults.

TEA Vice President Barbara Gray

Barbara Gray is an assistant principal at Northaven Elementary School. She has been in the education profession and serving Shelby County Schools since 1972. She earned a Bacherlor of Science in chemistry from Lemoyne-Owen College and went on to earn a master's degree in curriculum and instruction, and her Administration and Supervision license from the University of Memphis.

Gray has been an active member of the Shelby County, Tennessee and National Education Associations for many years. She has held leadership positions on a variety of committees to help provide guidance to these associations. Some of the committees include, but are not limited to, Member Benefits, Educator Benefits, Minority Affairs, Constitution & Bylaws, Administrator Task Force, Credentials, and Internal Organization Needs.

 In addition, she is a Sunday school teacher at Millington Church of Christ and is an active participant in many community organizations. Gray has three children and three grandchildren.

TEA Executive Director Al Mance
Alphonso (Al) Mance is a native of South Carolina, and received his pre-college education in the public schools of that state. His post-secondary education was completed at Bethune-Cookman College in Florida, Tuskeegee University in Alabama, and Adelphi University in New York. He has a variety of experience in education as a teacher, trainer, consultant and professional advocate. 

Mance has taught chemistry and biology in the public schools of Florida and New York. He also taught English subjects at the Mesivta of Long Beach, a boarding school for male orthodox Jewish students completing their pre-rabbinical studies. 

He started his organizational career as a field staff member for the New York Educators Association. He was selected to be that organization's coordinator of professional services. During his organizational career Mance has written more than two hundred articles on educational and organizational issues and topics. He developed and presented training packages on stress management, time management, leadership, parent-teacher conferences, teaching in a multi-cultural environment, interpersonal relations, humanism in education and a variety of others. 

Mance came to TEA in January of 1984 as the assistant executive director and manager of instruction and professional development. He was promoted to executive director in April of 1999, the position he now holds. 

As the executive director of TEA, he is the organization's chief administrative officer. He has primary responsibility for supervising and coordinating the administrative, editorial, publicity, financial and professional activities of the Association. He is responsible for the duties assigned to the executive director by the TEA Constitution and Bylaws, Representative Assembly, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee.