Professional Instructors Organization Officers

Martin Burch has been teaching in the Frostic School of Art at Western since Winter 2003. There, he has taught every level of courses — from Foundations to Graduate Presentation. His areas of focus are typography, branding, print publication, graphic form, photography, and design history.

Martin also runs his own design firm — Utility Design, LLC, and works full-time for an international non-profit as their Design and Brand Coordinator. In his spare time, he sings and plays guitar and keyboards in his band, The Millwrights.

Tim is serving a two-year term as President after previously serving as the VP of Organizing, a steward, and a founding member of PIO (almost two decades ago!). He also has served as part of the bargaining team, that negotiated a significant pay raise in 2023, as a lead negotiator. Tim has taught over 200 classes at various institutions including Western Michigan University for 23 consecutive years. Tim teaches anthropology and globalization classes while also becoming a top archaeological excavator from participating in digs every summer since 1997 for both WMU and the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Project, as well as private companies.

Kate teaches in the English Department at Western Michigan University. As the Vice President of Contract Enforcement, she is an expert on the PIO Collective Bargaining agreement that governs the treatment of employees and terms of Adjunct Professor employment at WMU. The contract both protects PIO members interests and details their salaries. Should a contract issue arise, don’t hesitate to reach out to Kate for help!

Irene is the youngest member of the PIO Executive Board. She has been serving as the Treasurer since 2021, the same year she became a member of PIO. Previously, she served as the President and an organizing steward of the Teaching Assistants Union at Western Michigan University.

Irene teaches Spanish at both WMU and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. She is a member of both schools’ part-time instructor unions and is a firm believer that financial participation in your union (i.e., being a dues-paying member) is the best way to show your support, even if you don’t have the time to actively participate in other ways. Join your union today!