How I got involved with SEIU 503:

In 2015, I had been caring for and helping my friend who was disabled. We were not aware it was something I could get paid for until the following year, which is when I became a State paid HCW and joined SEIU 503. It was then that I decided I wanted to not only have a voice in my job and a say in my future, but also to advocate for my Consumer as well. Throughout 2016 and 2017, I began attending Union meetings and took all the OHCC classes to get my Professional Development Certification (PDC). During that time, I also worked to get the Freedom Foundation banned from coming inside the APD offices throughout Central Oregon and had them removed from the hotel property where classes were being held too.
 

I guess you can say 2018 is the year I jumped in with both feet and have never looked back. That’s when I was invited to my first Homecare Council meeting, and I was hooked! I knew then that this was a place where I could make a difference. It was shortly after that; I began running those same Union meetings I had been going to. Later that year I was appointed as a Homecare Director. While volunteering at our union convention 2018 in Eugene, I decided to join the CAPE Council (our political baord). In the Fall, I completed the Homecare leader training program and was also elected to the SEIU 503 Board of Directors. In 2022. I’ve also attended all Lobby Days, Rally’s, and have testified before the Legislature many times on behalf of things that matter to our members.

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I believe our union has the ability to lift standards and make sure all workers get respect and together I know we can make a difference.

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My background:

I’m a mom of 3, a Gramma of 7, a widow of 12 years, a lover of animals and nature, a Cancer and domestic violence survivor. Please notice, I said survivor and not victim. I’ve lived in 7 different states and have solo-driven across this beautiful country of ours 4 times between 2004 – 2014. I’m a go-getter, multitasker, crafter, and a very creative person, who thinks outside the box.

Prior to becoming a paid Caregiver, I also cared for my Mom, two mother-in-law’s and my late husband while working full-time too. I’ve worked most of my career in an office setting, where I was tasked with mostly confidential information requiring a high level of security and background clearance. I’m currently an HCW and PSW.
 

Throughout my life, I’ve worn a lot of different hats; you can say I’m a “Jill of all Trades”. I’ve been a Cashier, a Travel Agent, a Bartender, an Accounts Receivable and Collections Manager, a Shipping Coordinator, an Apartment Manager, an LED and LCD Samples Coordinator, a Customer Service Representative, a Small Business Owner, a Licensed Mortgage Loan Officer, a Loan Processor and a Loan Closer, an Auto Auction Driver, an Auction Block Clerk, a DMV Title Clerk, a Front Office Clerk and a Receptionist,  a Low-income Housing Compliance Officer, an Apple Computer Tech, an IT Support Tech, a Security Officer, an OLCC Worker and an Ordained Minister. I’ve done event planning, fundraising, and volunteered as a Summer Fellow on Obama’s 2012 Presidential Campaign in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 

Last but not least, I also worked at Deschutes County Road Dept, setting up work zones, flagging, crack sealing, fixed potholes, chipped trees and drove 4-ton work trucks. As you can see, I’m not afraid of hard work or getting my hands dirty. In fact, I’ve always been the one who was cross-trained in everything and been the go-to person. With my wide array of knowledge and work experience, I bring a lot to the table. I genuinely like helping people, and if I don’t have an answer for you, I will find one.