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        You are here: Home / Archives for communications

        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.

        Filed Under: Council 19 SEA (pmAS) Tagged With: communications, Council 19, Government Affairs, Human Rights Committee, Membership Engagement, pmAS, SEA

        Text Notifications from Your LEC Officers

        February 5, 2017 16:00

        We have heard your feedback, some of you have expressed that you have felt out of the loop since you are not on the internet and or as social media savvy as others.

        In an attempt to reach more of our base (including those who are not on social media or don’t check their email often), we are excited to announce that your LEC Officers are starting a new way of communicating with our members in San Diego through text message alerts. This program is completely optional. But we feel that it’s a great tool to get information out to everyone quickly. We will not overwhelm you with texts. And we do realize some people may have to pay for texts, so again this program is optional and the information will be available as always on the AFAalaska.org website, emails, and on our Facebook page.

        We are borrowing this technology from school districts as to save costs from designing a system or paying a company to send mass texts.

        The enrollment process is simple, all you need to do is send a text message from your personal phone.

        Open your text messaging application. In the send to field enter 81010 and then enter @AFALEC15 in the body of the text and press send.

        You will then receive a reply asking you to enter your full name. Once you send your name, your officers will receive notification and then you are all set to receive texts.

        Please ignore the 3rd question where it asks if you are student or teacher since this software was mainly designed for schools so that teachers could reach their students and or parents of students quickly and easily.

        We hope you like our new service. And as always, we welcome your feedback / questions Please help us spread the word and get your fellow crew signed up.

        In Solidarity,

        Your LEC Officers

        Filed Under: Council 15 SAN Tagged With: communications, texting

        Alaska AFA Information At Your Fingertips

        October 23, 2015 05:00

        AFA Alaska news and information are now easier to access than ever with the recent launch of our new optimized mobile website.  Just visit afaalaska.org on your IMD or personal smartphone for easy access to AFA resources when you’re on the go.

        There’s An App For That

        If you’re using an Apple device, you can save the AFA Alaska mobile website as an app icon on your device’s desktop.  It’s easy; just follow these steps (or check out the screenshots below):

        • On your device, visit afaalaska.org
        • Click the center icon at the bottom of the screen (arrow pointing up inside a square)
        • Click “add to home screen”
        • Click “add” in the top right corner

        The mobile web app will be available as an icon on your desktop an you’ll have easy access whenever you need it.  Please note that the AFA Alaska web app requires an active Internet connection to function.

        If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Local Council.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

        IMG_9944

        Step 1 – Click the center icon (arrow pointing up)

        Step 2 - Click "Add to Home Screen"

        Step 2 – Click “Add to Home Screen”

        Step 3 - Click "Add"

        Step 3 – Click “Add”

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

        AFA Alaska Logo No Tag

        Filed Under: Communications Committee, Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: 2015, communications, IMD, inflight mobile device, mobile website, web app

        Need Help?

        Have an issue or concern to report to AFA?  Click here to access the AFA Alaska online support center.

        Latest News

        • AFA News in Review – August 14, 2026
        • 787-9 Inflight Service Grievance: Protecting Our Contract and Standards
        • Local Committee Appointments – August 2026
        • Pre-Merger Alaska Reserve Webinar Video and Q&A Recap – August 6, 2026
        • AFA News in Review – August 7, 2026
        • Council 47 SEA Base Update – SEA Membership Meeting Reminder
        • Wrapping Up Membership Engagement Focus Month: Stronger Together
        • Local Committee Interviews – September 2026
        • Benefits Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026
        • Council 47 Committee Update – Communication and Safety Vacancies

        787-9 Inflight Service Grievance: Protecting Our Contract and Standards

        August 14, 2026

        This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants For decades, Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants have defined the Spirit of Aloha. We take pride in delivering world-class service, but management’s current Boeing 787-9 service model is threatening that legacy. It isn’t just inefficient—it’s an unsustainable pace that undermines the quality our passengers expect and the professional […]

        Pre-Merger Alaska Reserve Webinar Video and Q&A Recap – August 6, 2026

        August 12, 2026

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Thank you to everyone who joined our first pre-merger Alaska Reserve Webinar! We created this interactive session to share practical contract tips and help you feel more confident about reserve life. You can now watch the recording on our YouTube channel using the link below. Please note that […]

        Wrapping Up Membership Engagement Focus Month: Stronger Together

        August 4, 2026

        July was a remarkable month for our Membership Engagement Committee. We set out with a clear purpose: to bring our Flight Attendant community closer together, share valuable resources, and build authentic connections throughout our system. Over the past four weeks, we explored what it means to be engaged in our AFA family. We kicked things […]

        Benefits Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026

        August 3, 2026

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Wednesday, July 22, our pre-merger Alaska Benefits Committee Chairpersons met for their regular monthly meeting. This meeting was an internal AFA-only meeting and did not involve management.  Representing you at the meeting were Ava McWilliams Ellington (LAX), Linda Gunselman (PDX), Sonia Quackenbush (SAN), Kathy O’Malley (SEA), […]

        Discover The AFA Online Learning Academy

        July 29, 2026

        As part of Membership Engagement Committee Focus Month, we’re excited to spotlight one of our core missions: empowering you with knowledge and confidence to participate more fully in our Union. When we understand how our Union works, we strengthen our collective voice and create a more engaged community. To help you on this journey, we’re […]

        Recent Posts

        • AFA News in Review – August 14, 2026
        • 787-9 Inflight Service Grievance: Protecting Our Contract and Standards
        • Local Committee Appointments – August 2026
        • Pre-Merger Alaska Reserve Webinar Video and Q&A Recap – August 6, 2026
        • AFA News in Review – August 7, 2026
        • Council 47 SEA Base Update – SEA Membership Meeting Reminder
        • Wrapping Up Membership Engagement Focus Month: Stronger Together
        • Local Committee Interviews – September 2026
        • Benefits Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026
        • Council 47 Committee Update – Communication and Safety Vacancies
        • Benefits Webinar – August 12, 2026
        • Meet Our Local Chairpersons
        • AFA News in Review – July 31, 2026
        • Council 39 July 2026 Update
        • Council 47 Reserve Committee – Meet Your Reserve Chairs

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