ALBANY, N.Y., September 22, 2008 - New York State United Teachers has announced the appointment of Mary Fran Gleason as editor-in-chief of the New York Teacher, NYSUT's official membership newspaper. Gleason succeeds Lance Howland, who retired in May.
"Mary Fran brings an ideal combination of strengths to her new responsibilities as New York Teacher editor-in-chief," said Deborah Ward, NYSUT communications director. "She is an outstanding leader, an experienced journalist and an innovator who will help us improve New York Teacher and our entire communications operation."
Gleason - previously managing editor of the Albany Times Union - brings 26 years of leadership and journalism experience to NYSUT. She spent 12 years with the Syracuse Newspapers in a variety of reporting and senior management roles, including assistant managing editor/metro and assistant managing editor/features. She began her career as a reporter for Shelter Island Reporter, working her way up to managing editor of the publication.
The New York Teacher is published every two weeks during the school year and mailed to the homes of all NYSUT members. The paper is a perennial winner in the contests of the International Labor Communications Association. With a press run of more than 600,000, it is the nation's largest-circulation biweekly in the field of public education.
Gleason holds a master's degree in public affairs reporting from Columbia College in Chicago and a degree in English with a business concentration from the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, N.J. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Executive Program at the Media Management Center, Northwestern University.
Gleason, who is a native of Shelter Island, resides in Brunswick with her husband, Tom Bliss, and their two-year old black lab, Willy.
NYSUT, the state's largest union, represents some 600,000 classroom teachers and other school employees; faculty and other professionals at the state's community colleges, State University of New York and City University of New York, and other education and health professionals. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
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