Born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia, Jim Alouf began his journey as an advocate at an early age. He learned advocacy skills as a high school and college debater and enjoyed the challenge of a good argument. As a secondary teacher, Jim’s sense of empathy for his students often led him to support them when they needed his help. He became a strong advocate for his fellow teachers when he became the teacher association president and learned more about the collective bargaining process. At that point, he realized he was an advocate for a lifetime. Throughout his career in higher education, Jim knew that he had to continue to advocate for his colleagues at the local, state and national levels. His work in the Association of Teacher Educators focused on encouraging his colleagues to stand up to their critics and to demonstrate their value as teacher educators. He continues these efforts to this day.