Jim Bakken
Director of Labor
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1323
Bio coming soon
Courtney Niebel, BA
Deputy Director of Labor
Phone: (503) 560-4668
Courtney Niebel joined the ONA in 2005 as an Organizer. She has assisted in organizing several unrepresented facilities including Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Providence Home Health nurses and Providence St. Vincent per diem nurses in Portland.
She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in english and political science from California State University, East Bay.
Emily Swanson
She/Her
Program Assistant
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Emily just recently joined ONA as a program assistant in April of 2022. She has a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Health Science. Prior to ONA, Emily worked in a variety of administrative roles and looks forward to working alongside ONA staff to
advocate for nursing, quality healthcare, and helping create healthier communities.
Pati Thomas, AAS
Paralegal
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1317
Pati has been with ONA since 2006, currently working as our in-house paralegal.
Labor Representatives
Gary Aguiar, BA, MS, PhD
I have been an ONA labor rep for nearly ten years. It has been a joy and honor to serve nurses throughout the state. In the last decade, I have trained nearly 300 stewards and bargained more than a dozen contracts from Florence to Klamath
Falls as well as points in between.
Prior to joining ONA, I was employed for 16 years as a professor of political science at South Dakota State University (SDSU). At SDSU, I was very active in the faculty labor union, and have extensive experience and study of leadership development, political
advocacy, and rural politics. Born and raised in Hawai'i, I walked my first strike line at the age of 8 and canvassed for a state legislative candidate when I was 16.
At ONA, I developed strong bargaining units in small towns across Oregon, which fostered many successful campaigns. In Klamath Falls, Sky Lakes nurses concluded a victorious contract campaign that tripled the membership rate at Sky Lakes, which gave our
negotiators power to win an accelerated step scale, true shared governance in vigorous Unit Practice Committees, and strong anti-bullying language. At the 2018 House of Delegates, our membership committee won an ONA award for best membership
growth and development.
I have helped to build power at McKenzie-Willamette in Springfield, where we expanded the number and vigor of stewards. For many years, we had 40 stewards at this 380-member bargaining unit, which exceeded our goal of at least one steward for every ten
nurses. Further, we had at least two stewards in every department. For more than five years, stewards exclusively handled all the lower-level disciplinary meetings and stage one grievances. For this work, the McKenzie-Willamette stewards won
the ONA award for best grievance representation in 2018.
In Corvallis, a majority of Benton County nurses turned out for several meetings to collaborate on a campaign against low pay and pay for performance. Nearly every nurse submitted a personal letter, which supported our bargaining team to increase
wages and dismantle the pay for performance system. At the 2020 House of Delegates, our Benton County bargaining unit won the ONA award for strongest leadership.
Tizoc Arenas
Tizoc joined ONA as a Labor Representative in 2020. His organizing and activism reach as far back as 2003 with both College of the Sequoias in Visalia, CA and CSU Northridge in Northridge, CA. Tizoc began his career in the Labor Movement as an intern
with the United Farm Workers in East Los Angeles, CA in July 2012. Since the outset of his career in labor, he has served in both organizing and representational capacities within the movement and has worked for several organizations including the
AFL-CIO, the Texas American Federation of Teachers, AFSCME HOPE Local 123, the California School Employees Association, Teamsters Local 1932, the California Nurses Association and SEIU Local 521.
Tizoc completed his Bachelor of Arts
in Chicana/o Studies and his Minor in Pan-African Studies at CSU Northridge in 2009, and has completed coursework within the Sociology Department for graduate studies as well. Tizoc enjoys researching labor history and is trying to build the largest
labor history text collection that he possibly can.
Mike Bray
He/Him
Mike grew up around the labor movement, as both of his parents were long-time leaders of their letter carriers’ union in Southern Oregon. Mike graduated from Portland State University with a BA in Community Development (along with his wife who is now
an employee and union member there!) and got connected to the local labor movement by studying the positive impacts of labor unions on local communities. He took an internal organizer position with SEIU Local 503 where he supported state workers in
building their union for about 10 years. When not in the struggle, you are most likely to find Mike in the woods hugging trees and playing in whatever water he can find.
Ashley Bromley
Bio coming soon.
David Cecil
He/him
Labor Representative
Phone: (541) 868-7504
Dave joined ONA as a Labor Representative in 2023. He has been involved in the labor movement since joining AFT 3544 at the UO in 1999. He has served in many roles, including president of his local, staff organizer, and the lead organizer on the campaign
to organize the faculty at UO. He served as Executive Director of United Academics AFT 3209 before coming to ONA.
Dave has a Bachelor of Arts from Towson University and earned a Masters in History at UO. He is passionate about Liverpool
FC, and when he's not following the Reds, he spends time with his wife, exercises his dog, bothers his daughter, writes pulp detective novels, and paints.
Gabriel Erbs
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Gabriel joined ONA at the end of 2019. He has been a union representative or organizer in Oregon’s labor movement since 2016, primarily working with healthcare workers at nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics. Gabriel currently represents ONA nurses at Providence facilities.
Justin Heath
He/Him
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Justin comes to ONA with more than 7 years of labor experience in both the public and private sector. His education include a BA from Portland State and a JD from Lewis and Clark Law School. Originally from Alaska, Justin has made Oregon his forever home
and loves the outdoor lifestyle that Oregon is so famous for.
Misha Hernandez, BFA
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 x1371
Misha Hernandez comes to ONA as a unionist with experience in organizing in the Public and Private sector. She has a background of working in development and political organizing. She started Organizing
as an external organizer working Higher Ed and Fight for 15$ campaigns in Miami, FL with SEIU International. The last five years, Misha worked with SEIU 503 as an internal organizer and the Oregon AFL -CIO as a regional organizer with Eastern, Central
and Southern Labor Chapters. Misha lives in Ashland with her family and is very involved with the Southern Oregon Central Labor Chapter.
Jason Herring
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Jason joined ONA as a Labor Representative in January of 2024. Prior to ONA, Jason worked as a Labor Representative, Contract Negotiator, and Business Agent for a variety of labor unions including Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA/AFT 6732), SEIU
Local 5000 (NAGE), and an independent labor union representing Registered Nurses. EMTs, and Paramedics across the USA. He began his labor career after becoming involved as a member of his own union and following more than 10 years working as
a Paramedic. Jason is passionate about supporting safe work environments and equitable treatment for health care professionals; as well as helping health care workers stand up and advocate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Jason
is an Oregon native, lives in Redmond, and in his spare time can be found fly fishing in rivers throughout central Oregon.
Tim Hoss
He/Him
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Prior to joining ONA in 2024, Tim Hoss was a labor representative with the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA). At OSEA, he advocated for safer working conditions and livable wages for educators across the state, including the Salem area, the North
coast, and Eastern Oregon. Tim has served in a representational and government relations capacity for public employees in South Dakota and Minnesota with AFSCME Council 65. Prior to working as a labor representative, Tim earned a J.D. from Ohio State
Moritz College of Law and interned as a law clerk at SEIU’s headquarters in Washington D.C. where he assisted fast food workers striking across the country.
Brian Howard
Labor Representative, Lead
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1352
Brian Howard joined ONA in May 2017. During his 16 years working with healthcare unions, Brian has organized thousands of previously nonunion workers, trained scores of successful organizers and member-leaders, and negotiated multiple contracts raising
standards for nurses. Highlights of his work in the labor movement have been coordinating a labor coalition to lead the successful Seattle Fight for $15 minimum wage campaign, and winning dedicated break relief nurses for the OHSU-Hillsboro (formerly
Tuality) contract.
Brian was born and raised in union household in Missouri. Inspired by family experiences and a growing interest in social justice during his college years, he decided to devote his life to empowering working people to speak out and seek change in
their workplaces. Since then, Brian has endeavored to help health care workers find their voices in a wide range of environments and locations, including Boston, Baltimore, New York City, Kansas City, Seattle, and now Portland. The belief that healthcare
workers can have a profound impact on our society by advocating for themselves and their patients has shaped Brian’s career. An essential role of his work is identifying and developing of worksite leadership to reflect the diversity of their community.
Rhonda Kenny, RN
She/Her
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1341
Rhonda Kenny, RN joined ONA in 2022 as a labor representative. Rhonda has worked as a nurse for 32 years. She has worked in many settings including, Med/Surg, ICU, Float Pool, Pacu, and Endo. Rhonda even has some OB training from working in a Critical
Access facility for 10 years.
Rhonda moved back to Ontario in 2017 to be nearer to her family. She has always sought to work in facilities where the nurses had union representation. Rhonda believes that working together is the best way to serve each other and patients. In her most
recent job she served on the negotiating team and was also a steward and membership chair of her unit.
Laura Lay
Contract Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1361
Laura Lay RN, has been working at ONA since 2012. She started as a release time nurse and came on staff as a labor representative in 2018. Laura has worked as a registered nurse with PeaceHealth since 2000 and still works as a per diem nurse in obstetrics.
Bridget Lovelace, RN
She/Her
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1364
Bridget joined ONA first as a member in 2006, becoming active in her Bargaining Unit in 2018. Within her facility she has chaired her Unit based council, a member of the Professional Nurse Practice Council and been Co-Chair for the Staffing Council. She
currently works as a bedside nurse casual part time in the Day Surgery Department at Mercy Medical Center. She joined ONA as a staff member in 2022 as a Labor representative.
Bridget is a strong proponent of nurse empowerment, professional strength, and the creation of unity within the nursing profession. She believes nurses working to support each other and their coworkers raise the standards of the work and practice
environment.
Shawna Meechan
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext.1368
Shawna Meechan joined ONA in 2023. She comes with a lifetime of activism in the labor movement. A native of Portland, Ore., she grew up in a union household, went to college on a union scholarship, and has fought for the rights of workers most of her
adult life. Previously, Shawna has worked for the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) and LiUNA! Laborer’s Local 483 representing folks in the Portland metro area. She has also worked as a member activist holding multiple elected positions
in unions. As the daughter of a nurse and granddaughter of a physician, Shawna is looking forward to representing health workers with ONA. In her spare time, she enjoys tap dance, gardening and reading fiction.
Seth Moore
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1381
Bio coming soon
Jaime Newman, BS
Labor Representative, Lead
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1331
Jaime is a labor relations representative at ONA. Jaime has over 16 years experience working in the health care industry, first as a health care worker and then as union staff. She is originally from
Indiana where she received her bachelor's in labor relations and then went on to pursue a master's in labor relations at the
University of
Massachusetts,
Amherst
. Jaime has worked with unions in
Oregon and
California
and is a seasoned labor organizer.
Jill Pham, BSW
She/They
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011
Jill joined ONA in September 2024. Jill grew up in a union family with their first picket line being the 90's Boeing strike. They have spent the last nine years of their life working in the labor movement for Portland Jobs with Justice, New Seasons workers,
OFNHP members at Kaiser and PeaceHealth, and other local labor efforts. Jill first got active in the labor movement while interning at Portland Jobs with Justice as they were working on a degree in social work from University of Portland.
Jocelyn Pitman, BS
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 293-0011 ext. 1320
Jocelyn Pitman, BS, joined ONA in 2016. Prior to coming to ONA, she worked at OFNHP, representing and organizing a variety of health care professionals, predominately RNs at Kaiser Permanente. She has over 12 years of community and union organizing ranging
from accretion bargaining, wage and benefit bargaining, steward training, managing campaigns, handling complex disability cases, advanced grievance handling, arbitration preparation, and a variety of discipline cases. She received a Cesar Chavez Human
Rights award for a successfully run workplace bullying campaign in 2010. She graduated from Portland State with a BS in Social Science. She has worked in health care in California, which is where she was raised. She has been a Portland resident since
2001. In her spare time she enjoys reading suspense novels, running and spending time with her family.
Jaki Salgado
She/Her
Labor Representative
Phone: (541) 743-5158
Jaki Salgado has been organizing long term care providers in the labor movement since 2015. The majority of her time was as an internal organizer representing Nursing Home, Homecare, Child Care and Adult Foster Homes members with SEIU Local 503. She has
a deep passion for justice and driving work through an equity lens to organize and build power so ALL workers can lead in their union. When she’s not organizing, she loves cooking for her friends and family and spending quality time with her fiancé
and two sweet Boston terriers.
Claire Syrett, BA
Labor Representative, Lead
Phone: (541) 953-7736
Claire Syrett is a lead labor representative based in Eugene. Prior to joining ONA in 2014, Claire served as the executive director of a non-profit working childhood obesity prevention, field director for the ACLU of Oregon, and an organizer for the Eugene/
Springfield Solidarity Network/Jobs with Justice and Lane Community College Education Association. Claire is a dedicated union activist with a long history of working to build labor power. She was chosen as the Emerging Labor Leader by the Lane County
Central Labor Council in 2004. In addition to her ONA position, Claire served as the Eugene City Councilor for Ward 7 from 2012 – 2022 where she focused on policies to improve the lives of working people.
Timothy Welp
He/Him
Labor Representative
Phone: (503) 748-9768
Timothy has been with ONA for more than two years and has been working as a labor representative since 1999. Timothy lives in North Clackamas with his wife Robin who is a Nurse Practitioner, two adult children, and his two dogs. When I am not working
with nurses you will likely find me biking in Portland, working in my yard, or supporting community organizing.
Joseph West, BA
Labor Representative, Lead
Phone: (503) 293-0011ext. 1369
Joseph West joined ONA in 2019 with a diverse background in internal and external union organizing. His first experience was as an external organizer for health care workers in his home state of Florida for about nine months. Following that, he worked
on contract campaigns throughout Oregon's Willamette Valley as an internal organizer with SEIU Local 49, and also organized several new units into our union at the Samaritan Hospital System. He became a Council Representative with AFSCME Council 75,
where he bargained several contracts in the Salem area, and then drafted the organizing plan for empowering community mental health workers throughout the Portland Metro Area. His most recent experience involved working at OFNHP Local 5017 where he
helped create a staffing campaign, including an LOU obligating the employer to create a staffing model for each workgroup, Charge Nurse Escalation Plans, and standards for safe outpatient nursing practice.
Tyler Whitmire
Labor Representative
Tyler has spent the majority of his adult life fighting for better working conditions and livable wages. He has helped manage political campaigns on behalf of AFL-CIO, AFT, SEIU, and many of the trade Unions to help over 30 individual candidates and 10
initiatives across six states. Then he was a lobbyist for OSEA/AFT for one session before becoming an OSEA field representative where he has worked for over seven years. One of his proudest accomplishments in the past few years has been bringing greater
safety into the public education system by getting the OSHA rules rewritten that excluded schools from many safety reporting standards. He earned a BS from EOU in Political Science, Philosophy, and Economic and an ExMPA from PSU.
