IFT President Dan Montgomery Will Not Seek Reelection After Nearly 15 Years at the Helm

WESTMONT, IL – Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery has announced that he will not seek reelection this fall at the union’s convention, concluding 15 years of transformational leadership and decades of service to public education, the labor movement, and working families.

Since his election in 2010, Montgomery has been a tireless advocate for IFT members, public education, state services, and all Illinoisans. He was unanimously reelected by delegates in 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022, leading the 103,000-member union through a period of significant growth, increased activism, and bold advocacy.

“Leading the IFT has been the privilege and honor of my life,” Montgomery said. “Together, we have stood on the frontlines to defend public education, protect our professions, and uplift the voices of working people. I am deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m confident that the IFT is poised for an even stronger future.”

During his tenure, Montgomery transformed the IFT into a more powerful, modern, and inclusive voice for educators and public workers. He deepened the union’s commitment to growth and organizing by supporting locals through member engagement grants, contract campaigns, and successful strikes. He launched antiracist initiatives, restructured operations, and created the Union Professional Issues Department to better serve members. Montgomery also led the IFT to a landmark Illinois Supreme Court victory against an unconstitutional pension overhaul and helped members navigate the challenges of Rauner, Trump, and the COVID-19 pandemic. His leadership elevated the IFT’s influence statewide.

“Dan Montgomery’s leadership has been inspirational,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and a longtime colleague of Montgomery in his role as an AFT vice president. “He is a teacher’s teacher, whose authenticity and compassion and focus on opportunity and dignity helped IFT center the needs of all young people, particularly the most marginalized, in everything he did. From fighting hate and protecting public pensions to guiding educators through COVID-19 and fundraising for childcare centers in Ukraine, Dan led with justice as his guiding light. And, as the first openly gay man to lead a major labor union in Illinois, Dan’s identity was not only historic—it was transformative. He leaves the IFT as one of the strongest state federations in the AFT, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of educators and activists to come. The American Library Association is lucky to have him as its next Executive Director.”

IFT Executive Vice President and Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates praised Montgomery. “Throughout his tenure, Dan Montgomery has exemplified what it means to be a public educator and union leader: fighting for evidence-based funding, labor rights, and the future of public education. During his presidency, IFT experienced explosive growth in our membership, as education workers joined together to fight for better working conditions and learning conditions for their students. As a union committed to realizing the promise of a world-class public education for every student, we’re proud to build on the foundation he’s laid, especially as we push Springfield to deliver the investments Illinois schools need."

Montgomery began his union journey in 1993 as a high school English teacher at Niles North High School in Skokie, where he taught for 18 years. He went on to lead the 2,000-member North Suburban Teachers Union, Local 1274, and joined the IFT Executive Board in 2001. In addition to serving as IFT president, he is a vice president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and sits on its executive committee alongside AFT President Randi Weingarten. He also serves as vice president of the Illinois AFL-CIO.

“Throughout Dan’s tenure, he’s exemplified what it means to be a union leader—principled, inclusive, and fearless in the fight for equitable schools and labor rights. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude, and we remain committed to building on the foundation he’s laid,” said IFT Secretary-Treasurer Cyndi Oberle Dahm.

Montgomery's distinguished service includes board roles with the Albert Shanker Institute, the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, and Theater Oobleck in Chicago. He was appointed a trustee of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois by Governor Pat Quinn in 2015 and served for seven years on the board of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Montgomery earned his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan and an M.S.Ed. from Northwestern University. He has also taught at the City Colleges of Chicago and Northwestern University.

A successor will be elected at the IFT convention in October.