Executive BoardOur executive board is the highest authority in our union besides the membership.
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President: Julia Oas
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What does the President do?
The President is responsible for overseeing organizing and the day-to-day administration and management of the local union, which consists of contract enforcement, interfacing with UConn’s Dept. of Labor Relations, the Graduate School, and other administrators and offices at the University, working with other union leaders on campus, collaborating with student, activist and community groups on matters affecting the membership, and more. The President is also the primary contact and representative to UAW Region 9A, and is expected to attend monthly Presidents’ meetings. The President is also responsible for the supervision of all staff, and is empowered to delegate whatever authority is necessary for efficient operation of the local. About Julia
Welcome all! I’m Julia, and I am grateful to serve GEU as president this year. I hope you can get to know me, other GEU e-board & staff members, and your fellow GA & postdoc workers as unique and multifaceted individuals. Because of these differences, when we joyfully and intentionally choose to come together, we transform our understandings of individual experiences into unified demands to account for the harm and neglect within power-hoarding institutions and systems designed to pull us apart. GEU gives this work shape. For years, across numerous challenges and changing workplace contexts, postdocs and graduate students have countervailed such systems with the power of our union. I am a PhD student in the Research Methods, Measurement and Evaluation program in Educational Psychology, and a proud former elementary school teacher. Love guides me as an ethic of change, as taught to me by my former students and circles of friends, children, and humanizing leaders of people. In the president role, I hold myself responsible to thoughtfully step up and step back from authority, to disrupt the reproduction of whiteness and carcerality in social and professional spaces, and to work for a GEU that is sustainable, anti-colonial, and justly offers us all the chance to listen and lead each other into better worlds. |
Vice President: Alex Kueny
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What does the Vice President do?
The VP has the next highest responsibility and time commitment after the president. This position is 10-20hrs of paid work. The VP “assists” the President in their duties, frequently fulfilling similar functions––organizing, timely communication, working with members and the university, representing members and the union in the grievance process, and representing the union at regional events. The Vice President is the acting President in the President’s absence. If the President resigns, the Vice President automatically becomes president and remains so until the next scheduled election or upon their resignation. About Alex
I am a second-year History PhD student and I'm thrilled to be the Vice President of the UConn GEU. I was inspired to run for this position because I believe in the strength and resiliency of organized workplaces. I am passionate about labor organizing and I believe the GEU is the best tool we have to win and protect strong rights, working conditions, and benefits for UConn GA's and Postdocs. I have extensive prior organizing experience and have been a leader in social movements for housing justice, immigrants' rights, and black lives. I built on this experience in my previous role as GEU Organizing Coordinator. When I'm not working with the union I'm usually riding my bike, or working on my historical research, which centers around the relationships between slavery, capitalism, revolutions, and state formation in the US and UK. During my VP term I look forward to meeting as many GA's and postdocs as I can from every department at UConn. Let's work together to make our union strong and our campus an incredible place to work and learn! |
Recording Secretary: Bré Ball
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What does Recording Secretary do?
The Recording Secretary shall keep a correct record of all proceedings and also conduct any general correspondence received by the Local Union. S/He is also responsible for bringing to attention any correspondence upon which the membership must take action. In addition, contract records with the international union must be updated by the Recording Secretary. About Bré Hello! My name is Bré Ball, and I am a second-year Political Science PhD student. My background is in community organizing around housing justice and disaster recovery in the southern Appalachian mountains. As the GEU’s Recording Secretary and Organizing Coordinator, I am eager to continue to support our mission of bettering the working conditions of all UConn graduate students and postdocs! I am very passionate about building worker power inside of and beyond the university by translating our organizing efforts into material wins. I am deeply committed to fostering stronger relationships with other grads, and building solidarity with workers on and off campus. Outside of the union, my academic research explores psychoanalysis and labor politics in modern intellectual history. When I am not busy with union activities or academics, I enjoy spending time reading, getting out into nature, or petting my friend’s cats. |
Financial Secretary: Jimmy Palmer
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What does the Financial Secretary do?
The Financial Secretary also has a high time and responsibility commitment, and comes with a 10 hour GAship. Broadly, it is the Financial Secretary’s job to handle the union’s finances – cutting checks, generating vouchers, paying bills, and keeping records. This position carries a lot of responsibility, because the appropriate handling of union finances carries legal weight for the local union. About Jimmy
I am Jimmy Palmer: graduate assistant, husband, father, and union guy. I maintain our union’s finances while studying society’s response to economic risk related to Climate Change. While volunteering time to the union since 2023 I’ve seen that we are better together when working opposite the university administration and state government. I see evidence every day of harsher work conditions from those leaders who tempt us to fight each other as they shrink our resources. Our union’s organizing and providing civic education delivers our communities from the evils of ignorance. Joining ourselves as a union protects each member and our work, to the fullest extent that we can demand from the law. Just like other economic risks, we benefit from having the power to decide the work that is to be done. That starts when each of us starts participating in our union’s decisions. |
Chair of Trustees: Marcus Harris
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What does the Chair of Trustees do?
The e-board has three Trustee positions, and they oversee the functioning of the Union’s finances. This is done primarily through three audits of inventory and financial records each year. About Marcus
Hello, I'm Marcus Harris, a PhD student in the University of Connecticut's Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program. Since the first General Membership Meeting (GMM) I attended in the fall of my first year, I have been present and active in the union. It really is a great place to meet other passionate graduate students to collectively fight for worker rights and benefits. I recommend all graduate students join the union! I am also a part of the organizing committee where we strategize on how to recruit and educate graduate students about the benefits of being a part of the union. I also helped start the union’s first Research Committee. Our goal is to leverage union and UConn data along with other systematic means of collecting data to inform the union in its decision-making activities. |
Trustee: Musawir Abrar
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What does the Trustee do?
The e-board has three Trustee positions, and they oversee the functioning of the Union’s finances. This is done primarily through three audits of inventory and financial records each year. About Musawir: I am a graduate employee in the MFA in Digital Media & Design program at the University of Connecticut, serving on the Graduate Employee Union (GEU‑UAW Local 6950) Executive Board as a trustee. In this role, I help oversee our union’s finances, support transparent and accountable stewardship of member resources, and strengthen our ability to win fair working conditions for graduate employees and postdocs at UConn. |
Trustee: Jillian Lewis
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What does the Trustee do?
The e-board has three Trustee positions, and they oversee the functioning of the Union’s finances. This is done primarily through three audits of inventory and financial records each year. About Jillian
Hello, I am Jillian Lewis, a 4th year PhD Candidate in Molecular and Cell Biology. I have been involved with union organizing since my first year at UConn, giving orientation presentations, training union stewards, and supporting members of our bargaining team as they fought for their new contract. I've seen how unfairly non-unionized graduate workers are treated, and I am continually grateful to be a part of the GEU-UAW Local 6950 for the worker protections, solidarity, and companionship it offers. As a trustee, I help ensure that the union's finances and resources are stewarded appropriately, so we can continue to provide benefits and protections to all graduate and postdoc employees. |
Guide: Brenden Ferland
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What does the Guide do?
The Guide is responsible for helping to maintain order at membership meetings, including ensuring the meetings follow proper procedure. The Guide is also responsible for our bi-annual apportionment, which is when the membership rosters are analyzed to ensure each district has the appropriate number of stewards, based on size. About Brenden
I'm Brenden, a PhD student in Polymer Science at UConn, focusing on graphene-polymer composite materials. I joined the Graduate Employee Union in 2022, and the union has been instrumental in my academic journey - I might not have pursued graduate school if not for the excellent health insurance negotiated by our union. In 2023, I became a steward, serving as a friendly face in my department and assisting with grievance intakes. Now, as the Guide on the executive board, I oversee and direct our steward network. I do this because I want grad school to be for everyone. Historically, scientific pursuit was reserved for the wealthy. I believe that anyone should be able to study what they love. |
Sergeant-at-Arms: Claire Nieder
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What does the Sergeant-at-Arms do?
The Sergeant-At-Arms also helps maintain order at membership meetings, by ensuring everyone there is a member, introducing new members to the e-board and existing members, and assisting the president in the running of the meeting. About Claire
My name is Claire Nieder (she/her), I’m a graduate employee in the chemistry department where my research focuses on synthesis of photoswitchable compounds for studying serotonin receptors and potassium channels. Last year, I proudly represented District 1A during the 2026 bargaining campaign where I learned in depth the language of our contract and to what extent they can be used. I was recently elected Sergeant at Arms for the 26-27 academic year, and I am enthusiastic to see how our contract wins to blossom. |
GA Unit Representative: Erin Egersheim
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What does the GA Unit Representative do?
The GA unit rep functions as an e-board member-at-large, representing the best interests and needs of the GA unit. The GA representative is elected by members of the GA unit. About Erin
Hello! My name is Erin Egersheim and I am a first-year PhD student in Engineering Education. Outside of academia, I like to read fantasy books, embroider/crochet and be active outdoors. I joined the union in the fall of 2023, and I am excited to be the Graduate Assistant Unit Representative. In my role, I will be attending the general membership meetings, participating in e-board decision making and discussions, as well as sitting in various committees and union activities. My goal is to meet members across the unions, so I can properly advocate their interests. As graduate students, time is limited and meetings are not always doable. I hope to be a voice for those who have limited time but would like to be heard. |
Postdoc Unit Representative: Natalie Warsinger-Pepe
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What does the Postdoc Unit Representative do?
The Postdoc unit rep functions as an e-board member-at-large, representing the best interests and needs of the Postdoc unit. The Postdoc representative is elected by members of the Postdoc unit. |
