Paul F. Toner is an accomplished leader and a longtime resident of Cambridge with deep roots in the community.  He lives in the North Cambridge home of his great-grandfather, with his wife, Susan Connelly, and their children Grace and Jack.

​

Paul attended Cambridge public elementary schools and graduated from Matignon High School before attending Boston University's College of Liberal Arts, where he earned his bachelor of arts in political science and international relations. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.

​

An attorney and former Cambridge Public Schools teacher, Paul went on to become President of the Cambridge Teachers Association and one of the most influential public education leaders in the state as President of the 115,000-member Massachusetts Teachers Association.  Most recently, Paul served as the Senior National Director of Policy and Partnerships for Teach Plus, a nonprofit supporting excellent and effective teachers in policy advocacy and professional development.

​

Paul has also served as a vice president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, a Labor delegate to the Massachusetts Democratic Party, a member of the Ward 11 Democratic Committee, a commissioner on the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission, a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Board of Directors, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and numerous education and labor committees.  Paul is a member of the Pahara-Aspen Global Leadership Network and a graduate of the Broad Academy.  

​

Paul has dedicated his career to seeking collaborative, innovative solutions to public policy issues.  He is an experienced senior executive in education policy, association governance, board management, and labor and government relations. Paul has worked collaboratively with education, labor, business, state, and municipal government leaders and has built a reputation for thoughtful and solutions-oriented leadership.