Member Spotlight

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Laura Carrillo

Laura Carrillo

When you can get Laura Carrillo to slow down, take a breath, and talk to you, she doesn’t want to talk about herself. What she really wants to talk about is what she calls “the best job in Metro”: her job as Events Manager for Metro Parks and Recreation.

Trina Jordan

Trina Jordan

Trina Jordan, Chief Steward at Metro Social Services, is not going to stand still – not for a minute. Trina is a case manager in the department’s Homeless Services program. She likes her job because she can make a positive difference in the lives of people who are hurting financially due to low pay and unemployment. This need to make a difference makes her go.

Clannon Williams

Clannon William

The Member Spotlight shines on a rising star within the local union: Clannon William. Clannon is the Supervising Building Engineer at Florida Kansas Elementary, he is also a shop steward, and he served on the Memphis City Schools chapter’s Bargaining Committee.

Charlene Case

Charlene Case

Charlene Case is the school secretary at Maplewood High School in Nashville and has been an SEIU member since 1997.

Barbara Lee

Barbara Lee

As a resource center assistant at the Nashville Career Advancement Center (“NCAC”), Barbara Lee is on the front lines in the Great Recession, helping people who have been victimized by the economic downturn.

Mary Ridenour

Mary Ridenour

If you are looking for Mary Ridenour, you better look fast. Mary doesn’t sit still for long.

A Day in the Life: Nancy Nason

Nancy Nason

My name is Nancy Nason and I work in the Information Services Division for the City of Chattanooga. My official title is “I.T. Business Project Analyst”. I am a geek at heart but honestly, I am not nearly as technically savvy as I used to be.

Damir Obradovic

Damir Obradovic, Metro Social Services

Damir Obradovic has a soft spot in his heart for people who have a hard time making ends meet. Born in Croatia, Damir saw firsthand how people, through no fault of their own, can find themselves out of work, persecuted, and in need of a helping hand.

Terry Lambert

Terry Lambert is a Registered Nurse at Methodist Medical Center, working in the Emergency Department on the day shift. He has been at MMC since 2006, and a proud member of SEIU 205 for the last three years.

Terry Lambert

Terry Lambert is a Registered Nurse at Methodist Medical Center, working in the Emergency Department on the day shift. He has been at MMC since 2006, and a proud member of SEIU 205 for the last three years.

James Fleming

James Fleming, Memphis City Schools

James Fleming is the Supervising Building Engineer at Central High School and has been employed with MCS for 26 years.

Ed Grubbs

Ed Grubbs, Nashville Public Library

Ed Grubbs works at the Metro Public Library system’s main branch downtown and has been a Metro employee since 1986.

Gordon Gross

Gordon Gross, Metro Health Department

Gordon Gross might look like a mild-mannered office support representative at the Metro Public Health Department, but looks can be deceiving.

James Brown

James Brown, MNPS, member spotlight

James Brown started working for Metro as a contractor six years ago and last November got a full time job with MNPS as the district’s Telephony Technician. His job is to repair and maintain the telephone systems for all 136 schools and all of the district’s support buildings.

Penny Laymance

Penny Laymance, Methodist Medical Center, member

Penny Laymance is a unit secretary on the pulmonary floor at Methodist Medical Center and has been a union member since she started working at MMC in 1998.

Brenda Brown

Brenda Brown

Brenda Brown has been at Methodist Medical Center for 6 years and works in the dietary department as a cashier. She lives in Coalfield with her husband, two boys, and two dogs.

Sharon Griffin

Sharon Griffin

Sharon Griffin has been a manager with MNPS Food Service for 11 years and a Union member for 8 years. She is currently the cafeteria manager at Maplewood High School.

Dianna Ferguson

members, Dianna Ferguson, MMC

Dianna Ferguson is a Communications Operator at Methodist Medical Center and will celebrate 15 years of service this year. She began her career at Methodist in 1994 as a CNA on 3 West, after retiring from Levi Strauss. She was an active union member there as well, running the sewing machines, working in QC, and training employees before becoming a supervisor.

Martha Lingley

Martha Lingley

Martha Lingley is the food service manager at Overton High School. She comes from a strong union family and was instrumental at bringing SEIU into the Metro Nashville Public School system.

Tina Smith

Members, MMC, Tina Smith

Tina Smith is a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) on the cardiac floor at Methodist Medical. She has been an employee since 2003 and an active union member the whole time.

Rhonda Blackshear

Rhonda Blackshear MNPS

“I want to have a voice now and help lead the fight for equality and justice for our members”. This message sums up the reason that Rhonda Blackshear is an activist in SEIU Local 205.

Steve Paoletto

Steve Paoletto

Steve Paoletto is an LPN on 4 West, and has been at Methodist Medical Center since July, 1993. Steve is very active in SEIU, and currently serves as Assistant Chief Steward/S&T, and is an alternate Executive Board Committee member.

William Tipton

William Tipton Memphis City Schools

William Tipton is a Building Engineer at Lucie E. Campbell Elementary School in North Memphis. He’s worked for MCS for 17 years and he supervises the custodial staff and is in charge of maintaining the whole school building.

Mickey Pennington

Members, MMC, Mickey Pennington

Mickey Pennington has been a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at Methodist Medical Center since 1995, when she graduated from Roane State Community College. Mickey joined SEIU 2 years later, stating that she felt safer having the union behind her.

Brenda Shields

Brenda Shields Memphis Schools members

Brenda Shields is an Assistant Nutrition Services Manager who’s worked for Memphis City Schools for 10 years. Brenda was one of the first people to sign up for the union when SEIU came to MCS over a year ago and she continues to be a leading voice in Local 205.

Susan Quinn

Susan Quinn

Susan Quinn is a Resource Educational Assistant at Tom Joy Elementary who is now a Steward in the Metro Schools chapter, representing the Educational Assistants. Susan has been a member since August of 2005 and has been involved in the labor movement since 1981, when she was a legal secretary for labor attorney, Mark Brooks (who also does some work for Local 205).

Ralph Boyd

Ralph Boyd

Ralph Boyd is new to the labor movement and to his own job as a custodian at the Knowles Home, which is the city's assisted living facility. Ralph once worked as a radio announcer, which helps him communicate with his co-workers about the union and what its goals are.

Union Members Leading the Way for Healthier Food in Public Schools

Obesity rates have increased sharply in the United States over the past 30 years, and today, nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. These children are developing “adult” diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and are at increased risk for heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer and other serious chronic conditions.

Union Member Creates Award-Winning Recycling Program

In September, 1989, the practice of “character education” was just coming into its own. That’s when Sherry Force, a Metro Schools employee and SEIU member who was also very concerned about the environment, believed that she could help the environment and educate her students about social responsibility at the same time.

SEIU Member Named "Officer of the Year" @ DCSO

Yolanda Poole, a correctional officer for the Davidson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO), was named "Officer of the Year" for 2009.