Tiffany’s union work happens alongside her teaching, and she has been frequently recognized for her excellence in the classroom, where she fosters an atmosphere of trust, safety, and respect. She was a 2022 recipient of the “Teachers Rock Award” and a 2023 OnPoint Educator of the Year runner-up, receiving a cash prize and additional funds for her school. She is an active member of the Social Studies Advisors on Instructional Resources Committee, a Teachers of Color affinity space member, and a mentor for new BIPOC educators. She is on the Teachers Advisory Council of the Portland Art Museum, and is a founding member of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon’s Education Advisory Board. She has been awarded grants from the National Endowment of the Humanities and the Japanese American Citizens League to research and develop nuanced elementary school curricula around the Japanese American and AAPI experience.

Tiffany Koyama Lane is a proud union leader in the Portland Association of Teachers, where she has served as both Lead External Organizer and as a member of the Bargaining Steering Committee. As a union leader, Teacher Tiffany is united with all Portland teachers in their fight for safe classrooms and school buildings, smaller class sizes, and smaller caseloads for school social workers and other specialists. Teacher Tiffany celebrates the power of collective action and is in solidarity with every Portland worker fighting for better conditions and fair pay.