The NAPE/AFSCME Board of Directors held its regular meeting in Lincoln on November 16, 2024. The Board appointed a new Vice President, Sergeant-at-Arms, and At-Large member to fill vacancies for the term ending in summer 2025.
BOD Appoints New Vice President
The Board appointed Brandon Brown (Revenue, Lincoln) to serve as Vice President. Brandon previously served as the Sergeant-at-Arms and will serve as Vice President until August 17, 2025, when the current term ends. Brandon fills the vacancy left by Brian Koch after he left the State of Nebraska for another job opportunity. Brian served as Vice President for the past three years, and the Board thanked him for his service.
Brandon previously served as Sergeant-at-Arms for almost three years. He felt confident stepping into the Vice President position because he was already familiar with our Executive Committee and our union’s goals.
“I know our President well and know what her vision is for the future of our union and how I can best support that as her Vice President,” he said. “I also know Brian well and thought that my appointment would be the closest thing to a continuation of the Executive Committee that was voted into office.”
Brandon is excited to continue working to negotiate the best possible contract this year. He hopes that members see our Board of Directors as an effective, nonpartisan group of leaders that is advocating for the best interests of our union.
“Our members should trust that the people representing them on the Board of Directors are working hard and working as one unit to strengthen our union,” he said.
BOD Appoints New Sergeant-at-Arms
The Board appointed Brandon Ziska (State Colleges, Wayne) to serve as Sergeant-at-Arms. He will serve until August 17, 2025, when the seat is up for election. Brandon filled the position left vacant when Brandon Brown was appointed Vice President.
Ziska has been a Board member since 2021. He has a long history of serving in leadership positions for other organizations. He’s the current President of the Logan Creek chapter of Pheasants Forever and is the Banquet Chairman in Wayne. He also previously served as the Sergeant-at-Arms and Road Captain for his Local Motorcycle Riders Association and served on the Wayne Fire Department Board as Treasurer, Assistant Fire Chief, Truck Captain, and Safety Officer.
“This position is a natural fit for me as a Security Officer in my full time career. It falls in line with my personal core beliefs of keeping order and enforcing rules, which are the basic tenets of the Sergeant-at-Arms position,” he said. “It’s always in the best interest of the organization to keep things running smoothly and timely by keeping to the agenda and being respectful of everyone’s time.”
In his new role, Brandon hopes to be another friendly face and contact for all union members. He’s committed to representing them to the best of his ability and wants to help encourage more members to become leaders in our union.
“This is another great opportunity for me to be a leader and create those important relationships that help us in our continued fight for all workers’ rights,” he said.
BOD Appoints New At-Large Member
The Board appointed Amy Peters (DHHS, Lincoln) to serve as member At-Large. She will serve until May 31, 2025, when the term expires.
Amy has been a member of our union since her first day on the job in 2019. She is one of our union’s dedicated Volunteer Member Organizers. This will be her first time serving in a role like this on our Board of Directors, but she has spearheaded other leadership roles in past careers, including managing a workplace safety program and working on an organizational development committee aimed at retaining workers.
“I wanted to serve our workplace community and our union in a greater capacity, so when I was approached about being on the Board, I said yes,” she said. “Working for the State of Nebraska and being a public servant is something we can take pride in. But we shouldn’t experience loss in benefits or pay just because. That’s why we need a strong union – to make the State of Nebraska a great place to work. I want to be a leader because I want to be a part of the organization making sure that being in public service isn’t tied to sacrifice.”
Amy said she’s most excited to pursue an answer to the question: “What does it mean to be a State of Nebraska employee?”
“From Harrison to Falls City, what does it mean to be a public sector worker in those communities? What are the workers’ needs, what do they celebrate, and in what ways do they differ from other communities across the state? In finding those answers, I hope to serve and be a better advocate for those I’ll represent as a member of our Board,” she said.
Elections for the 2025-2027 term of the Board of Directors will take place in March, with nominations being accepted beginning in February. If you are interested in serving on the board, attend a union meeting in February in person or online to learn more about the election process and the duties of board members.
