Jaime L. Ciffone serves as executive vice president of New York State United Teachers, representing more than 700,000 education, healthcare, and public service professionals across New York state. A lifelong educator and union leader, Ciffone has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing public education, strengthening professional learning, and advocating for equitable opportunities for educators, students, and communities.
Beginning her career as a teacher of English language learners in the Bronx, she went on to serve as a UFT Teacher Center Specialist, professional learning leader, and statewide and national union advocate. Throughout her career, she has focused on building collaborative partnerships, elevating educator voice, and advancing policies that support strong public schools and thriving communities.
As executive vice president, Ciffone leads NYSUT’s Research and Educational Services department, overseeing research, policy development, legislative priorities, and member support initiatives. Her work has helped strengthen the connection between educational practice, public policy, and member advocacy while ensuring that the experiences of educators, school-related professionals, and healthcare professionals remain central to NYSUT’s work.
She also leads NYSUT ELT, the union’s professional learning arm, which delivers high-quality professional development created by educators for educators. Under her leadership, ELT has expanded partnerships with local unions, teacher centers, and national organizations to support educators across all career stages. A particular focus of her work has been advancing research-based literacy instruction through NYSUT’s Science of Reading initiative while advocating for implementation that is thoughtful, culturally responsive, and grounded in educator expertise.
Among her leadership initiatives are NYSUT’s More Teaching, Less Testing Task Force, which examined the impact of excessive standardized testing on teaching and learning, and the development of research-based recommendations to address educator recruitment and retention challenges across New York state.
A passionate advocate for leadership development, Ciffone is committed to mentoring emerging leaders and strengthening member engagement across the union. She believes that strong unions build strong schools, and that investing in educators is essential to ensuring opportunity and success for all students.
July 2026