Irene Lanzinger was elected as President of the BC Federation of Labour in 2014. Previous to holding the position of President, Irene served as the Secretary Treasurer from 2010 to 2014. Irene is a long-time union activist and teacher. She began her teaching career in 1978 and taught in Abbotsford and Vancouver. She also travelled overseas and taught in Japan and Saudi Arabia.Irene was very active in the B.C. Teachers’ Federation serving as President of the Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association, as a negotiator on provincial bargaining teams and as Vice-President and President of the BCTF. Irene served as an Officer of the B.C. Federation of Labour from 2007 to 2010. She is the first teacher to assume the top post in a provincial federation of labour.