Sandra Carner-Shafran, Saratoga Adirondack BOCES Education Association
Sandra Carner-Shafran is a powerhouse unionist who has dedicated nearly 40 years to education and activism. Whether it’s knocking on doors, working phone banks, attending rallies, lobbying in Albany, volunteering at food banks, or advocating for women’s rights, Carner-Shafran has proven time and again her profound and unwavering commitment to her union and her community.
Since 1982, Carner-Shafran proudly served New York’s most vulnerable children as a teacher aide and then a certified teaching assistant in the special education program for Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES. The veteran School-Related Professional has spent decades fighting for fair wages, safe working conditions, professional training opportunities, and respect and dignity on the job. Carner-Shafran has also devoted her time to encouraging other SRPs to become more engaged and active in their unions.
“When you’re involved in NYSUT and your union, you can be that much stronger and that much better at your job,” she said. A former longtime NYSUT Board member, Carner-Shafran’s many other roles have included serving on several NYSUT committees and the AFT Program and Policy Council. She is a board member for the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center and president of the Saratoga Labor Council.
Carner-Shafran has received several accolades including AFT’s Albert Shanker Pioneer Award, NYSUT’s SRP of the Year Award, NYSUT Legacy Award, and a nomination for the NEA Education Support Professional of the Year. She remains active in retirement and enjoys doing the work of the union with her husband, Roy. “I plan to be here for a long time fighting the fight. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”