Dian was the first person in her family to graduate from college. She is the oldest of eight children, and she wanted a career where she could make a living for her family and also give back to the community. Her career started in a nursing home, and then went on to work for a hospital and a sexual assault treatment center. She found her voice while working as a registered nurse, where she and her co-workers successfully organized the nurses in their facility. There was no looking back. She has been a member of SEIU for 29 years, mother of three sons, and has one grandson. Dian was president of SEIU Healthcare WI before coming to Local 73 where she was asked to serve as co-trustee during the union’s transition period. As a labor leader for over 20 years, her commitment and dedication has never wavered. She is proud to currently serve as president of SEIU Local 73, since November 2018, where she’s committed to building a strong, growing, and politically active union. Palmer holds a B.S. in Nursing from Carroll College/Columbia School of Nursing and is a State of Wisconsin Public Health Nurse specializing in Chronic Diseases in Minority Populations.

Joseph became an SEIU member 35 years ago when he was a custodian at Cicero School District. In 2000, he accepted an organizer position with Local 73 where he’s had many leadership positions leading to his successful campaign to currently serve as Secretary-Treasurer. He is proud to serve the members of Local 73 and will continue to put members first in the fight for social justice, economic justice, safe working conditions, respect, and dignity for all workers. He is a graduate of DePaul University’s Labor Education Program.

Jeffrey is a third-generation union member with 29 years of experience, serving at all levels of leadership in the union movement. He is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. In his labor career he has served in many different capacities from shop steward to secretary-treasurer of a 55,000-member local union, has worked for 3 different unions and collaborated with many others across the United States. Those experiences have helped shape his values and taught him how to be an effective leader and advocate for workers. He wants to innovate, inspire, and ignite all Local 73 members in the struggle for workplace and social justice. Howard holds a bachelor’s degree in Union Administration and Leadership from the National Labor College and is the proud father to four successful children.

Stacia is an experienced organizer that has led SEIU 73 members into struggle across numerous campaigns. Since becoming the Organizing Director at SEIU 73, she has directed staff, developed campaign strategy, executed actions and stood with SEIU 73 members during our historic contract wins at CPD, CPS, UIC and at Cook County. Stacia recruited and trained staff to rebuild our external organizing department and organized one of the first bargaining units nationally after the lockdown. She built and directed an innovative online member recruitment program that recruited over 1,000 members in three months and saw other SEIU locals adopt my program. Stacia is passionate about building worker power and collaborating with partners to fight for fully funded public services and communities across Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

Roy was born in India and immigrated to the US. He completed his Masters in Science at Kerala University, India. After arriving here, he received his diploma in Radiology at the Cook County School of Radiology and later completed a certificate program in Cardiac Interventional Technology at the College of DuPage. He is currently working in the Cath Lab at Cook County Hospital as a Cath Lab Technologist. He serves as Chief Steward for technician and technologist contracts. He has represented his brothers and sisters in many grievances and have provided successful outcomes while serving as the Midwest regional chair person for the SEIU API caucus.

Sean Ortiz has been a member of the Executive Board for Region 5 (Chicago Park District Division), an active Union Steward, served on the Contract Bargaining Team and the supervisor premium committee. He has 22 years of service to the Chicago Park District and is currently the Park Supervisor for Gill Park.

Marketta Paylor is a Driver License Hearing Officer with the Illinois Secretary of State Department of Motor Vehicles and has worked for the Secretary of State’s office for 16 years. She serves as Chief Steward, Executive Board Member, and sat on the Bargaining Committee for the last contract.

Alfred Rodriguez has been a dedicated Special Education Classroom Assistant with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for fourteen years. He currently works at Northside Learning Center and has served as a union steward with Local 73 for five years. He is a committed member of the CPS Contract Action Team and was a crucial voice on the Committee of the Future that helped pave the structure for a new Local 73. When he’s not in the classroom with his students, he is assisting in the annual Special Olympics.

Lavitta (Vee) Steward has been an employee at UIC for more than 15 years. She currently serves as an Administrative Assistant in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. Vee comes from a tradition of inspirational women and brings robust life experience to the position of Member VP from a history of helping those in need. Vee draws experience from being a committee member within her church community, an advocate for coworkers and patients at UIC, and from her own life as a single parent, mother, and grandmother. She is a proud SEIU Local 73 member as well as Chief Steward, Bargaining Committee member, and served as Contract Captain in the 2020 campaign. In 2019 and 2020 Vee served as a Delegate to the Leadership Assembly for SEIU Local 73. She is also an elected member of the State Universities Civil Service Advisory Committee.