Elected Union Leadership

President (Business Agent): Lawrence Lorraine Mullen
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Department: English
Research Interest: 19th Century American Gothic Literature; Architecture; Gender and Sexuality; Archival Studies
On Why the Union Matters: Because graduate workers exist in a complicated space of being both a student and a worker, we are exploited at every turn because the university believes we'll simply shoulder the abuse--our labor keeps UB running, we deserve to be treated with dignity and respect!
Co-Vice President (Chief Steward): Prerna Shah
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Department: Communications
Research Interest: Cognitive and affective determinants of risk perception and its influence on communication behaviors; these pertain to a range of environmental and health topics such as climate change, recycling, green marketing, and self-healthcare
On Why the Union Matters: I strongly believe in the power of unions to foster respect and dignity in the workplace and thus, as part of GSEU, I hope to actively promote its goals of fair pay, inclusivity, and worker safety!
Co-Vice President (Chief Steward): Michelle Williams
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Department: Sociology
Research Interest:  
On Why the Union Matters: 

Campus Organizers

Organizer: Gabby Pascuzzi
Pronouns: 
Department: 
Research Interest: 
On Why the Union Matters: 
Organizer: James Rizzi
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Department: Recent Ph.D. in English
Research Interest: Early Modern Literature and Representations of Underrepresented Labor
On Why the Union Matters: Having a union means having a voice, being able to bring democracy into the workplace and take an active role in shaping the workplace we all spend so much time in. No one should be content to accept what they're given and pray that it isn't taken away; our union gives each of us the opportunity to take ownership of and responsibility for the work we do, work fundamental to the university. 
Organizer: Hanyu Liao
Pronouns: 
Department: Media Studies
Research Interest: 
On Why the Union Matters: 
Orgnaizer: Joey Sechrist
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs and He/Him/His
Department: English
Research Interest: Marxism, Feminism, Transnational Literature, Political Theory, and Globalization  
On Why the Union Matters: Unions give workers the autonomy to stand up for their own interests and fight for a democratic workplace. Without collective union power, we are at the whims of our employers and a legal structure skewed in their favor

Department Mobilizers

If you don't see your department represented, send us an email and become a mobilizer today!
Mathematics
Mike Montoro (He/Him): Contact Mike

Chemistry
Morgan Redington (He/Him): Contact Morgan 
I'm a PhD student from the Chemistry Department. I'm a computational chemist, doing research on predicting new superconductors and other materials. I've been here since Fall of 2019.
Nick Hazel (He/Him): Contact Nick
Unions protect graduate workers from unsafe and unfair work practices! I am a current 5th year in the Chemistry, working on atomic spectroscopy.

Social Work
Josie Diebold (She/They): Contact Josie
I've been an organizer for several years, which has informed my support of union organizing, in general, and GSEU, specifically. Being part of a union is how we harness our collective power and push for conditions that meet our needs and move the needle towards racial, social, and economic justice. My research centers on white antiracist community organizing. I'm looking to support and inform grassroots organizing by digging into the work to move white folks into multiracial movements for racial justice.

Sociology
Michelle Williams (They/Them): Contact Michelle
I support GSEU because I received my MA at an institution with no grad union. I received less than $1000/month in pay and no insurance, in a city with a COL similar to Buffalo's. It was unbearable and it's so much better here where a union has already been doing work to protect student workers' interests. I'm interested in low-wage, working-class work. My MA thesis was an ethnography of a truck stop, and I'm now focusing more on budget motels. I've been in Buffalo for one semester.

Physics
Chance Starr (He/Him): Contact Chance
I love rats.
Omar Elsherif: Contact Omar

Classics
Matt Tocco: Contact Matt

History
Angela Gallagher: Contact Angela

Philosophy
Austin Liebers: Contact Austin

Political Science
Nic Bush: Contact Nic

Romance Languages and Literature
Neil Gablenz: Contact Neil



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Don't see your department here? Get in touch with us and BECOME A MOBILIZER!
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