Nathan A. Saunders

Nathan Saunders is the current President of the Washington Teachers’ Union Local 6 AFT-AFL-CIO. Prior to his current term as President, Saunders served as General Vice President for five years and on several other boards and commissions.

While serving as the General Vice President, Saunders was a noteworthy advocate for teachers. His actions have been the subject of a television show, a Senate committee hearing on education and labor before the U.S. Congress, and numerous articles in various major newspapers and journals. Saunders is the sole derivative plaintiff in Saunders v. Hankerson et. al. which contributed to changes in national labor law concerning fiduciary duty, union representation, and financial disclosure for all labor unions in the United States. 

Saunders has delivered remarks before the Rotary Club International, the Yale School of Management, NAACP, NAFEO, the Women’s Democratic Club, Harvard University Trade Union Program, and many other community-based organizations.

Saunders is a consummate academic who thrives on intellectual prowess. He holds diplomas and degrees from Morehouse College; Johns Hopkins University, Berman Graduate School of Real Estate; Harvard University School of Law's highly regarded Harvard Trade Union Program; and the National Labor College and the University of Baltimore. His areas of expertise include: labor relations, labor unions, public service employment, public schools, and education policy.

As a highly qualified and certified social studies teacher on the senior high school level with expertise in history, government, economics, philosophy, and psychology, Saunders has a penchant for public policy, liberal arts, and sciences.  Saunders is honored to have been named to the Who's Who in American Education directory and is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Education Honor Society.

His background prior to teaching was in business and economic development where he held President and Chief Executive Officer Positions in numerous community economic development entities in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.  His success in economic development came as little surprise in that Saunders sat for and obtained his real estate license just after turning 18 years old. 

Upon his graduation from College, he was publicly applauded for returning home to serve his southeast DC community. Saunders was a motivated businessman in economic development and is responsible for housing the first government facility in southeast Washington, DC on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue.

Saunders is a native Washingtonian who currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Chandrai Jackson-Saunders, a school psychologist in the District of Columbia Public School system.  Mr. Saunders has one son, Nathan III.

He enjoys reading, tournament chess and sailing in his spare time.   As a life-long committed resident of Washington, D.C., Saunders understands the importance of the public education system in that it is accessible, equitable and geared toward bringing success for all children in the District.