Long before she entered a classroom as an educator, Thea Burke was a journalist. Originally from Los Angeles, she worked as a field producer for CBS News, traveling across the country and around the world. She loved the pace, the purpose and the privilege of telling people’s stories. But when she and her husband Reynold, who also worked for CBS, started their family, they made a deliberate choice. “You only have one chance to get it right,” she says. “We wanted to give everything we could to raise two human beings.” She stepped away from journalism to stay home with their son and daughter.
When her children entered elementary school, Burke wanted to contribute to their school community. She joined the PTA, eventually becoming president. Her involvement brought her into close contact with school leaders. Thanks to her background in journalism and French, one principal asked if she would consider becoming an instructional assistant. “It afforded me the ability to work and contribute while still being present for my family,” she says.
Burke found her professional home at Wicoff Elementary School. Coming from the vastness of Los Angeles, Plainsboro felt intimate and connected. “In New Jersey, everyone knew my children,” she says. “In L.A., you’re one of thousands.”
Her work with students is deeply informed by her own lived experience. Burke has a disability and grew up before the protections of 504 plans and IEPs were widely available. “Your parents had to advocate for you, and it often didn’t go very far,” she recalls. After the 1990 expansion of disability rights, opportunities changed dramatically. That history fuels her advocacy today. She leads professional development on ableism, speaks openly about inclusive language and brings a strong disability‑rights lens to her work. “Everyone’s voice has value and merit,” she says. “No one should put limits on anyone.”
In the classroom, Burke works primarily with students in grades K-3, helping them build independence, confidence and a sense of belonging. Her background in journalism strengthens her language arts instruction and her fluency in French helps her support students learning Spanish. She even teaches first graders a bit of French, “bringing your whole, rounded self to the children,” as she puts it.
Burke also serves as president of her local ESP union, a role she approaches with humility. She was nominated for ESP of the Year without her knowledge and felt awkward at first. “I never want to appear self‑serving,” she says. “I work with exceptional ESPs. I take this honor for all of us.”
Burke’s union roots run deep. She joined the Writers Guild right out of college, and she credits her NJEA Field Representative Alex DeVicaris with helping her grow as a leader. She is especially proud of her work on the district’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) committee, where she is the only instructional assistant and a passionate advocate for expanding ESP involvement.
For Burke, the work is simple and profound: helping children find their voice, honoring every identity and ensuring every student feels seen. “Diversity breeds tolerance,” she says. “And ultimately, understanding.”