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MEC Officer Election Results

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With the current Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers’ term ending on December 31, 2025, our MEC held elections this week for the next term. According to the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws, each of the eight Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents casts one vote for each officer position. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected to MEC Officer positions representing Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants:

MEC President: Timothy Green
MEC Vice President: Brice McGee
MEC Secretary-Treasurer: Paul Ikioka

These officers will serve from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. You can find more details about each officer’s duties and responsibilities in the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws and the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual.

Our MEC congratulates the newly elected officers and sincerely thanks everyone who stepped forward to run in the election.

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Interviews—December 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the terms of office for the MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions align with those of the MEC Officers. Since the current term for the MEC Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025, the MEC will soon review all pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions.

Committees that have already merged or will merge before the beginning of next year go through a separate process for interviews and elections and will not be included in this review. Information about interviews for these positions will be communicated separately.

This review will take place over several months to allow extra transition time for committees that may benefit from it. This approach differs from previous election cycles, where all interviews were conducted simultaneously near the end of the term. Although the interviews will occur well before the current MEC term concludes, those elected to these positions will not assume their roles until January 1, 2026.

The final committees to undergo the review process will be the Benefits, Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards, and Retirement Committees. During the upcoming December Regular MEC Meeting, interviews will be conducted for the following positions:

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Qualifications for Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee positions include:

  • Current Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee Member or Chairperson.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for each position varies and may change based on current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle which begins on January 1, 2026, and concludes on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the December Regular MEC Meeting Monday, December 1, and Tuesday, December 2. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Monday, November 24, 2025. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange specific interview times.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Merged MEC Committee Interviews—December 2025

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Several committees have successfully merged over the past few months, and we are now planning for another committee to merge on January 1.

As part of the committee merger process, our MEC will elect a Chairperson and Committee Members for each newly merged committee from the combined groups of Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants. The newly elected Chairperson will coordinate activities across both airlines, and they, along with the Committee Members, will support all eight Local Councils—both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian. The MEC will conduct interviews during the December MEC Meeting for the following roles:

Other committees will merge later in the process. As we approach those dates, we’ll keep you informed about the integration timeline for each committee, including interview schedules.

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Qualifications for Inflight Training Committee positions include:

  • Current Flight Attendant Initial and/or Recurrent Training Instructor.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for each position varies and may change based on current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle. Their official term will begin on January 1, 2026, and conclude on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the December Regular MEC Meeting on Monday, December 1, and Tuesday, December 2. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Monday, November 24, 2025. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange specific interview times.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all eight Local Councils, ensuring that the voices of both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants are heard and advocated for. Below, you’ll find brief bios that showcase their backgrounds and experiences as they prepare to support our combined Flight Attendant group.

Seth Heiple, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson

Seth Heiple started his Flight Attendant career in 1996 at Northwest Airlines and became an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant in 2008.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business and Economics and is currently the MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson for the pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants.

In this role, Seth is dedicated to maintaining and improving the safety, health, and security of both the pre-merger Hawaiian and pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants. He intends to achieve this by supporting the merged ASHSC as it works to ensure the safety of our work environments and advocates for the necessary policies, procedures, and tools that allow us to fulfill our roles effectively as aviation’s first responders.

Seth is based and lives in Portland, Oregon, with his roommate, grandma (98). In his free time, he enjoys walking Portland’s neighborhoods, listening to audiobooks, game nights with friends, and spending time with his extended family in Portland and San Francisco.

Kerri Ruiz, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Vice Chairperson

Kerri started her Flight Attendant career with Alaska Airlines in 1998 and then joined Hawaiian Airlines in 1999. She was based in Los Angeles for over 10 years and was an active member of the Local Air Safety, Health, and Security (ASHS) Committee. When she transferred to the Honolulu base, she held various AFA positions, including LEC Secretary, MEC Membership and Benefits Committee Chairperson, and, most recently, MEC ASHS Committee Chairperson. However, her affinity and forte have always been working in safety.

Kerri has one daughter, several stepchildren, and several grandchildren. She enjoys traveling to new destinations with friends and family while nurturing her ties throughout the Hawaiian community.

Brad Young, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Vice Chairperson

Brad has been a San Francisco–based Flight Attendant since 2010. He began his career with Virgin America during its early years, when the airline operated just a few aircraft and served a limited number of destinations.

His in-depth AFA involvement began when he was appointed the Local Safety Committee Chairperson for the AFA Alaska Council at the newly established SFO base following Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Virgin America in 2017. Later that same year, he was elected to office, marking the start of his formal leadership within our Union.

After being re-elected as Council Representative in 2019 and again in 2022, Brad continues to advocate for his peers with dedication and experience. He is enthusiastic about representing over 10,000 Flight Attendants as the combined Alaska/Hawaiian merger approaches Single Operating Certificate (SOC) in October 2025.

Brad has also served as the MEC Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson since 2018, where he holds primary responsibility for member representation in both the ASAP and Fatigue Review Board (FRB) programs. He is honored and humbled to have been elected to serve a third term as MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson..

Deb Wallstrom, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Air Quality Representative

Deb began her career as a Flight Attendant with Alaska Airlines in 1998. She is currently based in Anchorage, though she has previously been based in Los Angeles and San Diego. In 2013, she became involved in AFA work with the Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee and is now the Chairperson for Council 30 (ANC) of the ASHSC. Additionally, she serves on the Benefits Committee. As the Air Quality Representative, Deb is dedicated to ensuring that Members are well-informed and is passionate about helping support Flight Attendants following an air quality event.

Outside of work, Deb enjoys hiking, reading, and knitting. She frequently travels between Alaska, Seattle, and Southern California to visit family.

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected:

MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) LOSA Representative: David Lake
MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) ASAP Primary Representative: Brad Young
MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) ASAP Alternate Representative: Ronda Ruderman
MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) FRB Primary Representative: Brad Young
MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson: Julie Thornton
MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson: Jake Jones
MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – Pairing Construction: Karen Ferrell
MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – PBS: Virginia Fritz
MEC Scheduling Committee PBS Subcommittee Members: Adam Clarey, Melodie Anderes, and Krystal Kehrli
MEC Scheduling Committee FRB Primary Representative: Bianca Dew
MEC Scheduling Committee FRB Alternate Representative: Russel Rivinius

These newly elected MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives will carry out their respective roles specific to our six pre-merger Alaska Local Councils as we continue to navigate the merger process. They’ll begin the transition into their roles over the next few months, with their official term beginning on January 1, 2026. They will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028.

If you have any questions about the pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee elections, please reach out to your LEC President.

MEC Officer Election Results

With the current Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers’ term ending on December 31, 2025, our MEC held elections this week for the next term. According to the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws, each of the eight Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents casts one vote for each officer position. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected […]

Sick Leave Survey Deadline Extended

Our JNC has received reports that some Flight Attendants may not have received the Sick Leave Survey email due to technical issues. Please check your spam or junk folder. The survey deadline has been extended to Friday, November 21, at Noon PT, allowing everyone to participate.

Sick Leave Survey Closing Soon

There’s just 1 DAY LEFT to complete the Sick Leave Survey that will help shape future provisions. Our JNC is eager to hear your thoughts on which elements of our paid sick leave policy are most meaningful to you, as we strive to improve our support for your needs. The survey is currently open and will remain available until Tuesday, November 11 at Noon PT.

Council 30 (ANC) LEC Officer Election Results

Polls closed at 12 PM PT today for the election of Council 30 LEC Officers, representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Anchorage. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected to Local Council Officer positions: LEC President: LeiLauni ScheidemanLEC Vice President: Heather ReierLEC Secretary: Anne Madsen View the certified election results here >> These newly elected officers […]

Apps To Help You Save Money On Food

Our AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee recognizes that Flight Attendants may be facing increasing challenges when it comes to accessing affordable food, whether on the road or at home. We want you to know that you are not alone. In response to these difficulties, we have compiled a list of apps to help […]

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