Fletes, Makensi – DHS: Candidate for Statewide President

I am Makensi Fletes, and I respectfully ask for your vote for SEIU 503 President. I am currently serving as the ODHS Vice President, and I am running because our union deserves leadership rooted in transparency, accountability, and member power.

My commitment to this work comes from my family, my community, and my lived experience. I am married with three sons and three grandsons who inspire my dedication to resilience, courage, and standing up for what is right. My mother and sister are homecare workers, and their daily challenges ground my understanding of what workers need from their union.

Professionally, I have spent 13 years at the Oregon DHS Eligibility Center, supporting Oregonians and strengthening the agency’s ability to deliver services. Before public service, I worked in hospitality, agriculture, staffing, membership programs, and nationwide contract review. These roles taught me practical problem solving, operational discipline, and how to manage complex systems—skills that directly translate to running a strong, member focused union.

My union leadership experience spans more than a decade. I have served as a Steward, Bargaining Delegate, General Council Delegate, and completed a rotation as Contract Specialist with member leaders from OSH, ODOT, and Revenue. One of my proudest accomplishments was leading a classification study that reclassified roughly 4,500 employees, delivering long overdue wage increases in record time. These experiences gave me a clear view of what is working—and what must change.

Across the state, members consistently express that they feel unheard, sidelined, and shut out of decisions that affect their livelihoods. Whether or not every member shares this view, the perception itself is a warning sign. Members deserve leadership that invests dues wisely, communicates transparently, and earns trust through accountability. The Janus ruling reminded us that membership must be earned, not assumed. A union cannot thrive when members feel disconnected from the people elected to represent them.

My goal as President is to build a thriving, respected, member led union grounded in transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and trust. This election is an opportunity to choose a new direction. I am proud to run alongside a slate committed to meaningful change: Denise Piza for Executive Director, Makensi Fletes for President, Lisa Finkle for Vice President Private Sector, Hortensia Blanco for Vice President Home Care Workers, and Dr. Max Ragozzino for Treasurer.

Please vote for change and for a member led future. Learn more at memberledfuture.com