Age: 43
Occupation: Vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union
When the CTU had the city nailed to the wall during last year’s 11-day-long strike, the union’s No. 2 was swinging the hammer, appearing before the cameras with the unwavering narrative that the well-being of students was the union’s single overriding concern. Widely known as the firebrand counterpart to wonky union head Jesse Sharkey — and viewed by some as at least as powerful among the rank and file — this former CPS teacher gained a reputation for backing down to no one, not even Mayor Lightfoot, who reportedly resorted to barring her from final negotiations.