Nominees for SSA Secretary and Treasurer

Elections for these positions will be held on Friday, April 26, 2019 in the ASCC building from 6am—5pm in front of the Rosenau Room.  Below are the biographies:

Nominees for SSA Secretary:
Submitted Bios are below in alpha order.

Maya Calloway Richardson, Student Success Navigator
My name is Maya Calloway Richardson and I hope to gain your consideration for the SSA Secretary position.  I have been a member of the SSA union since 2016.  I recently joined the Grievance Committee and think now is a great time to take on a larger role.  I am currently a student success navigator working with health careers.  However, I have more than five years of experience as a project secretary and data collector at the Early Head Start Research Project at Michigan State University and a year of administrative assistant experience at Michigan State University Safe Place.  I know the importance of the roles that unions play in trying to get things done.  I had a personal view of the efforts and work that is needed to represent members and fight for what is right over the course of the past year.  The knowledge and strength of the people elected to officer positions is crucial in helping moving things in a positive direction for all members.  I really want to be a part of those efforts and I humbly ask for your vote.  It would be my privilege to take on this role.

Warm regards,
Maya Calloway Richardson, MBA
Student Success Navigator - Health Careers

Leslie Windless, Financial Aid Associate III
My name is Leslie Windless, and I am running for the position of Support Staff Association (SSA) Secretary. I currently serve on several SSA committees which have all contributed to the vast knowledge that I have gained about our union and kept me abreast to key issues that need to be addressed for our upcoming contract negotiation. Those committees include:

• Constitutional Amendment Committee
• Grievance Committee
• Negotiations Committee (Secretary)
• Reclassification Committee
• Retirement/Social Committee (Chairperson)

I possess superb record keeping and effective communication skills which both make me a strong asset to all the committees I am a team member of. These skills are a significant part of the responsibilities for the role of SSA Secretary position. I currently hold a master’s degree in Human and Social Services and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Both educational accomplishments contribute to my attention to detail and the accuracy of my note taking. 

One of my main goals in serving on my current committees is to bring positive change to the SSA and to motivate our members to get involved. Last year as Chairperson of the Social Committee, I was able to bring my vision of a Trunk or Treat to life. With the support of the committee, I was able to secure community partners, and make it a bigger success than I could have imagined. The committee has been inactive for years, but under my leadership we are planning a bigger and better Trunk or Treat for this year, and not to mention several other events for our members. In running for the Secretary position of our union, my goals are to be a voice for ALL members of the SSA, ensuring our members have an truthful account of our membership meetings, and continuing to be a part of the positive change that is occurring within our union.

Leslie Windless
Financial Aid Associate
SSA Social Committee Chairperson

Nominee for SSA Treasurer:

Joni Morris, Financial Aid Associate III
Hello! My name is Joni Morris and I am running for the Treasurer position of HFC-SSA. The treasurer’s main responsibilities include collecting dues, keeping accurate records, preparing financial reports, and preparing state & federal tax returns. These tasks require several skills, of which I will highlight below to share why I am the best candidate for the job.

First, is my dedication to Henry Ford College. I began my career here fourteen years ago and still excel in my position as a Financial Aid Associate. I'm always striving to enhance my knowledge, so that I can better assist our students and staff. I previously served on the Operations Council (including the role of Vice Chair), the Welcome Center Social Committee, the SSA elections Committee, and the SSA Negotiations Committee. The second attribute important to the role of a treasurer is knowledge of accounting.

QuickBooks is the accounting system HFC-SSA uses and I have taken a class here to learn it. I also have three years of recent experience using QuickBooks, as it is the same accounting system used to run my business. Additionally, I have twenty-six years of tax preparation experience. The final element that makes me the best candidate for the Treasurer position is that I have an orderly-minded and methodical way of thinking, which enables me to accurately monitor large sums of money and budgets.

Sincerely,
Joni L. Morris
Financial Aid Associate

Sincerely the SSA Election Committee
Liz Hall-Knight
Cynthia Brown (chair)