Union members elected as delegates to the 17th Biennial NAPE/AFSCME Bargaining Conference elected ten union members to serve on our state contract negotiations team. The team is comprised of the following members:
Melissa Haynes – NAPE/AFSCME President – DHHS – Fremont
Melissa is a Social Worker at the DHHS Fremont Customer Service Center. She has worked for DHHS for seven years, and was elected NAPE/AFSCME President in 2021. Melissa previously served on the negotiations team in 2020.
Brian Koch – NAPE/AFSCME Vice President – Labor – Beatrice
Brian is a Workforce Coordinator for the Department of Labor. Brian has worked for the state since 2014, and previously worked at the Department of Corrections. Brian was elected NAPE/AFSCME Vice President in 2021, and he previously served on the negotiations team in 2020.
Chris Morton – Administrative Professional Unit (A) – DHHS – Lincoln
Chris is a Marketing & Communications Specialist for the Department of Health and Human Services in Lincoln. He has worked for the state for the past two years and is looking forward to providing the perspective of younger employees at the bargaining table.
Rachel Johnson – Social Services & Counseling Bargaining Unit (C) – DHHS – Lincoln
Rachel is the Religious Coordinator at the Lincoln Regional Center, where she has worked for fifteen years. Rachel is looking forward to contributing to negotiations from her perspective as a well respected union steward at her facility.
Sam Hansen – Engineering, Science & Resources Unit (E) – Environment & Energy – Lincoln
Sam is an Engineer at the Department of Environment and Energy in Lincoln, where he has worked since 2019. Sam is dedicated to ensuring E Unit members have the same benefits as all state employees.
Jody Riskowski – Health & Human Care Professional Unit (H) – Corrections – Lincoln
Jody is a Community Health Educator with the Department of Correctional Services based at the central office in Lincoln. Jody has previously worked at DHHS and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and also brings perspective having worked at twenty-four hour facilities.
Carlos Ndirangu – Health & Human Care Non-Professional Unit (I) – Veterans’ Affairs – Norfolk
Carlos is a Staff Care Technician II (CNA) at the Norfolk Veterans’ Home. Carlos has worked for NDVA for the past two years and is pursuing a degree in nursing. He looks forward to representing workers who care for vulnerable members of our community.
Jay Jensen – Maintenance, Trades, & Technical Unit (M) – Transportation – Omaha
Jay is a Senior Highway Maintenance Worker for NDOT based out of District 2 Headquarters in Omaha. Jay has been a NAPE/AFSCME member for ten years and was elected NAPE/AFSCME Treasurer in 2019.
Lindsey Eads – Administrative Support Unit (S) – Veterans’ Affairs – Kearney
Lindsey is a Supply Technician II at the Central Nebraska Veterans’ Affairs in Kearney. A state employee for twenty-one years, Lindsey previously worked for DHHS at the YRTC in Kearney. Lindsey has served on the NAPE/AFSCME Board of Directors since 2019, and has previously been a member of the NAPE/AFSCME Executive Committee.
Brandon Brown – Examining, Inspecting & Licensing Unit (X) – Revenue – Lincoln
Brandon is a Senior Revenue Agent at the Department of Revenue in Lincoln where he has worked for the past seven years. Brandon was elected to the NAPE/AFSCME Board of Directors in 2021 and served as a delegate to the AFSCME Delegate Assembly this year.