He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and a master's degree in math education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

He taught math for more than 20 years at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

[2] As NEA President, Van Roekel has been a vocal supporter of the broader union movement.

He gave a speech calling for unity at a meeting in January 2009 with the leaders of the AFL-CIO and the breakaway Change to Win; The New York Times called his attendance at that meeting "somewhat surprising" since the NEA has been more independent in the past.

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