PSUFA Executive Council
PSUFA is governed by an executive council made up of adjuncts just like you who work collectively to make union decisions and best represent our members. All of the positions are open for election in Spring 2021.
Executive Council Co-Chair & Chair of Grievances
Lyndsie Compton
Lyndsie (she/her) teaches Spanish at PSU and PCC. She's passionate about creating community in all of her circles and has been working with PSUFA since the day she was hired as an adjunct. She believes that union activism not only combats the isolation of being an adjunct, it also confronts the most fundamental issues we face, inside and outside of the institution, and builds collective power that makes meaningful change possible.
Executive Council Co-Chair & Chair of Collective Bargaining
Ariana Jacob
Ariana (she/her) teaches in the Social Practice MFA Program in the School of Art + Design and she has been on the Executive Council for PSUFA since 2016. She did not expect to become so deeply involved in the union, but has found it makes adjuncting at PSU much less isolating, and that being a part of the union is a powerful tool for improving our working conditions as well as a pathway into broader transformative justice work.
Chair of Treasury
James Sauls
James (he/him) teaches math to people who are surprised to find they enjoy it at both PSU and PCC. He has been working for PSUFA in various capacities since the spring of 2019. He cares about truth, fairness, and being helpful.
Chair of Operations
Jacob Richman
Jacob (he/him) teaches time-based media (video/audio/performance) in the School of Art and Design. He has a background in music and digital art, and mixes these with live performers to create unique performances and artwork. He has been the facilitator of a homeless advocacy music and theater group for over 10 years and believes in the ability of art and performance to create community. He is also passionate about labor rights and is a tireless advocate for fairness and equity for his students and colleagues.
Chair of Communications
Kjerstin Johnson
Kjerstin (she/her) teaches writing and editing for publication in the PSU English Department. She has worked with or at independent and nonprofit publishers like Rethinking Schools, The Nib, and Bitch magazine. She is also a member of Ringer Union (WGAE).
Chair of Political Action
Erica Thomas
Erica (she/her) is an artist, designer, and educator, and has been an active member of PSUFA since becoming a faculty member in 2019, and an SEIU member from 2008 to 2011. She earned an MFA in Art and Social Practice from Portland State University in 2014 and has been investigating labor as a part of her art practice for many years. She frequently partners with people and organizations to build solidarity among aligned political movements through art, events, and other activities. She deeply believes that work and the workplace are the sites of universal political struggle and as such she is committed to building power for workers at PSU and beyond.