After nine years as president of the United Teachers of Dade, Karla Hernandez-Mats will not be seeking reelection.
Hernandez-Mats will remain president through May 2025 and is still calculating her next move. She endorsed Vice President Antonio White as her successor and said she trusts the union will keep making strides.
“I really poured my heart and soul into working as a union president and really giving it my all for union members. And I think that one of the things that leaders should do and know is when is the right time to also step out of a role and pass that baton to someone else.” Hernandez-Mats said.
UTD is the largest teachers union in the Southeast U.S. and third largest in the country.
Accomplishments during Hernandez-Mats’ tenure include securing teacher raises and eliminating the union’s debt. Her fiercest critics included Gov. Ron DeSantis after she ran as Charlie Crist’s running mate in the 2022 gubernatorial race.
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