My name is Stephanie Prentiss, and I am seeking your vote to serve on the SEIU 503 Board of Directors as Director of Higher Education. I currently serve as President of Sub Local 085 for the University of Oregon that is made up of 1600 Classified Staff. I have worked at the University of Oregon for 19 years and have been a member of SEIU 503 since day one. I have previously served as Steward, Secretary, and Vice President of our Executive Team. I have also had the privilege of working with our members as a M.O.C. under SEIU 503’s Member Organizing Campaign. During my service as a M.O.C, I was not only able to build and grow our membership, I also built long lasting relationships within our Classified Staff and SEIU 503. We together were able to obtain one of the best contracts I have seen in 19 years. This experience has taught me that our voices are powerful! Listening and upholding our votes are key to making our voices even stronger. We have had some recent wins during these very difficult times including pushing the President of University of Oregon to donate to a COVID-19 Employee Hardship Fund. The fund is in place, and being distributed to members. With your vote, I will amplify your voices, and uphold the resolutions that we as members must have to serve, and grow our Union. Higher education must have our voices heard, and we together as workers within higher education directly shape our future in our communities and our nation. If elected, I will uphold the policies and resolutions you, as members vote into place. I will listen to your voices, and shape the work we do as a Union, to keep you involved and informed in order to protect our Union. We are facing some very difficult times ahead, unemployment, and our economy has been hit hard. I will push to uphold the decisions that we as members are making, and keep safety, job security and benefits as the top priorities if elected. I will also help to amplify marginalized communities, and support SEIU 503 training and education, along with building our Union. My passion for our Union and all of you as members I believe gives me the experience to tirelessly work to keep you informed, and uphold your decisions. As a collective voice, we together will rise!