Ken Swanson, President
Ken Swanson of Belvidere was elected president of the 130,000 member Illinois Education Association-NEA (IEA-NEA) on March 5, 2005. His three-year term began July 15, 2005.
Swanson served two consecutive three-year terms as IEA-NEA Vice President. Previously, he served on the IEA-NEA Board of Directors and as a member of the IEA-NEA Executive Committee. Swanson also served as a member of the IEA-NEA School Funding Task Force and Association Renewal 2000 Task Force.
Swanson’s teaching career began in 1978 in LaGrange, Illinois, where he doubled as a school bus driver. In 1980, Swanson moved to Lincoln Elementary in Belvidere, where he was an upper elementary science teacher.
Swanson is a multiple, competitive grant recipient. As a classroom teacher, he was a two-time nominee for the Presidential Award in the Teaching of Science.
Swanson’s civic involvement includes serving as United Way Education Division Co-Chair, a term as Belvidere’s Police and Fire Commissioner, founding member of the Belvidere Park District Foundation Board, and as a member of the School District 100 Foundation for Excellence Board.
Swanson received his Bachelor’s Degree from Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Illinois, and completed his Master’s Degree at Northern Illinois University.
Robert Blade, Vice President
Robert Blade of Greenup, Illinois, was elected Vice President of the 130,000 member Illinois Education Association-NEA (IEA-NEA) on March 5, 2005. His three-year term began July 15, 2005.
Previously, Blade served on the IEA Board of Directors, and as a member of the National Education Association (NEA) Board of Directors. Blade also has served on a number of IEA-NEA committees, the State Teachers Certification Board and other Illinois State Board of Education committees.
Blade’s 33-year teaching career began in 1972 in Greenup, where he taught junior high language arts. As a classroom teacher, Blade received the Neal Foundation Teacher of the Year award, Regional Office of Education 11 (including Coles, Cumberland, Moultrie, Shelby, Douglas & Edgar Counties) Education is the Key award, Valley of Danville Family Life award, and IEA’s Region 7 Personal and Professional Development and Teddy Ann Lovelette awards. He has been a Golden Apple and Disney Teacher nominee and has been listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers several times.
His current civic involvement includes chairing the Greenup Township Library Board. He also serves on the Cumberland Education Foundation and the Regional Office of Education Advisory Board.
Blade received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Eastern Illinois University and was certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 1997.
Cinda Klickna, Secretary-Treasurer
Cinda Klickna of Rochester was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the 130,000 member Illinois Education Association-NEA (IEA-NEA) on March 5, 2005. Her three-year term began July 15, 2005.
Klickna began her teaching career in Springfield, Illinois, in 1973 teaching high school English and Advanced Placement Literature. Since 1981, she taught at Southeast High School.
Klickna began her union activism as a summer IEA Legislative Intern in 1981, working with the late State Senator Vince Demuzio, State Representative Richard Reilly, and State Senator Terry Bruce.
Prior to her election as an IEA officer, Klickna served on the IEA Board of Directors (1988-2000), the National Education Association (NEA) Board of Directors (1994-2000), and as president of the Springfield Education Association (1991-1997 and 2003-2005). She has chaired committees for IEA (Partnerships for Educational Innovation, Legislative Committee) and NEA (Membership Services and Affiliate Relationships).
In 1997, Klickna was awarded the Illinois State Genealogical Society Community Service Award for her classroom’s research of an abandoned cemetery at Lake Sangchris.
In 2002, Klickna was a finalist for the Horace Mann Educator of the Year Award.
Klickna earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1973 and her Master’s Degree in Literature at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Klickna has been a freelance writer for more than thirty years, writing feature articles on history, travel and human-interest. She is a monthly book-reviewer for the Springfield State Journal-Register.
The first teacher to serve as the chair of the Education Committee for the Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Klickna has also served on the United Way Board, and as PTO President in Rochester, Illinois, where she raised two sons, Keith and Kevin. Her husband, Kim, recently retired as a band and music instructor in Springfield.