Council 19 SEA (pmAS)

Local Committee Appointments – August 2026

August 14, 2026 08:12 Leave a Comment

During this week’s LEC meeting, our LEC held interviews for our next group of Local Committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest and willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been appointed:

Local ASHSC Chairperson: David Lake
Local ASHSC Vice-Chairperson: Jack Espinosa
Local Reserve Chairperson: Conner Gallagher
Local Reserve Vice-Chairperson: Ian Haywood
Local Scheduling Chairperson: Rita Tillou
Local Uniform Chairperson: Dena Heath

These newly appointed Local Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons will carry out their respective roles for Council 19. Their official term begins on October 1, 2026. They will serve for the current LEC Officer election cycle which began on July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your LEC President at sea.lecp@afaalaska.org.

Local Committee Interviews – September 2026

August 4, 2026 12:00

The SEA LEC Officers will be conducting interviews for Local Chairpersons for the final round of local committees. During the upcoming September LEC Meeting, interviews will be conducted for the following positions:

Please note: Vice-Chairperson positions will also be appointed from the pool of candidates interviewed at the discretion of the SEA LEC. We encourage all those interested to submit their resume and Expression of Interest (EOI) to be considered.

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all Local Chairperson positions include:

Current Alaska AFA Member in good standing
Previous experience as a Committee Member 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 all of the above, plus:

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 the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian Volunteers page. Additional information regarding Local Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in the link below:

Duties and Responsibilities

Term of Service

Successful candidates will serve for the upcoming LEC Officer election cycle. Their official term will begin on November 1, 2026 and conclude June 30, 2029.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The LEC will interview eligible candidates during the September regular LEC meeting on Monday, September 21. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around this date and adjust your schedule accordingly. All interviews will be virtual via Google Meet videoconferencing.

Please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form below. The submission deadline is 5pm Pacific Time on Monday, September 7. After the submission deadline, an LEC representative will contact eligible candidates for next steps.

>> 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.

Meet Our Local Chairpersons

August 1, 2026 12:15

We’re excited to introduce our first group of SEA Local Committee Chairpersons for the current LEC Officer term. They will be transitioning into their roles over the next few weeks and officially start their terms on September 1, 2026. Below you’ll find brief biographies that highlight their backgrounds and experiences as they prepare to support our Members at Council 19.

Kiersten Larson | Local Communications Chairperson

Kiersten began her career as a Flight Attendant with Alaska Airlines in 2008. Over the last few years, she’s been involved with Government Affairs, Mobilization, and Communications. In addition to Union work, Kiersten is an active children’s rights advocate, reflecting her ongoing commitment to standing up for those who need a voice.

Kiersten was motivated to step into the role of Council 19 Seattle Council Representative because of her passion for advocating for her fellow Flight Attendants and ensuring their voices are heard at every level. She aims to build on her advocacy background by keeping Members informed, engaged, and empowered. Outside of work, Kiersten loves spending time with her husband, two cats, and lovingly harassing her adult children.

Jerry Sinclair | Local Communications Vice-Chairperson

Jerry was born and raised in the Burien-Tukwila area and began his airline career with Air Cal Airlines, later American Airlines, in 1984. He joined Horizon Air in 1995, transferred to Alaska Airlines in 2001, and became a Flight Attendant in 2003. Since 2012, he has served in various Union roles, including committee work and two terms as Local Executive Council Representative for Council 19.

In his free time, Jerry enjoys the outdoors, caring for his dogs and rescue cats, and working in the yard.

Andrew Stinson | Local Government Affairs/Human Rights & Equity Chairperson

Andrew has been a Flight Attendant with Alaska Airlines since 2015. Before coming to Alaska, Andrew graduated with a bachelor’s degree in restaurant and hotel management and worked as a chef at Snoqualmie Casino in the banquets and catering department. Andrew’s goals in his new role as Council Representative are to engage with our Members by continuing to fly and to continue to build solidarity with other labor organizations.

Andrew is heavily involved in many local labor organizations, such as the Pierce County Central Labor Council, the Washington State Labor Council, and Pride at Work Pierce County. When Andrew isn’t advocating for Flight Attendants, he keeps busy by spending time with his and his partners’ families.

Tracy Pettit | Local Membership Engagement Chairperson

Tracy started flying for a different airline that was shut down because of Covid (and probably other industry-related issues). Along with other AFA Government Affairs volunteers, she fought to get the Payroll Protection Program into law. That bill allowed folks to keep their jobs, and those who became unemployed, like Tracy, to stay above water. This experience cemented for her the importance of Union power and solidarity.

In 2022, Tracy started flying for Alaska and started doing Union work as soon as she could. Her goal for Membership Engagement and our local council is to participate more frequently in the larger labor movement, to hold management accountable to their promises, and to ensure every Flight Attendant has the resources to be informed, supported and empowered to advocate for themselves.

Outside of Union work, Tracy has a dog who just turned 10! She spends a lot of time in Juneau, Alaska with her partner and his cat. Tracy likes to read, play games, and make art.

Local Committee Appointments – July 2026

July 25, 2026 12:00

During this week’s LEC meeting, our LEC held interviews for our first group of Local Committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest and willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been appointed:

Local Communications Chairperson: Kiersten Larson
Local Communications Vice-Chairperson: Jerry Sinclair
Local Government Affairs Chairperson: Andrew Stinson
Local Human Rights & Equity Chairperson: Andrew Stinson
Local Membership Engagement Chairperson: Tracy Pettit

These newly appointed Local Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons will carry out their respective roles for Council 19. Over the next few weeks, they will transitions into their new roles with their official term beginning on September 1, 2026. They will serve for the current LEC Officer election cycle which began on July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your LEC President at sea.lecp@afaalaska.org.

Local Committee Interviews – August 2026

July 8, 2026 08:00

The SEA LEC Officers will be conducting interviews for Local Chairpersons for the next round of local committees. During the upcoming August LEC Meeting, interviews will be conducted for the following positions: