Matthew Biggs
President

Matthew Biggs was elected President of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) at the union’s 60th Constitutional Convention held in Washington, D.C., and online in August 2021, and was reelected again at IFPTE’s 61st Triennial Convention in New Orleans in July 2024. Prior to his election, Biggs had served as IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer since 2018 and as the Legislative and Political Director for IFPTE since September 2001. 

Biggs' career at IFPTE has focused on grassroots coordination with the union's Locals aimed at growing the IFPTE Political Action Committee (PAC), establishing the long-running annual IFPTE legislative advocacy week, and a concentrated legislative program aimed at preserving and growing union-represented jobs in IFPTE represented industries such as aerospace, energy, science, and defense. The repeal of the union-busting National Security Personnel System (NSPS); NASA appropriations and workforce concerns; a strong national industrial policy that protects workers from damaging trade laws; passage of labor law reform legislation to level the playing field for workers involved in union organizing efforts; protecting public worker pensions and jobs from privatization in both the United States and Canada; preserving and protecting government sector collective bargaining rights, and; bringing fairness to the employer-abused H-1B Visa program, among others, are just a few of the issues that Biggs has and continues to advocate for alongside IFPTE Local leaders and members.  

Before coming to IFPTE, Biggs spent several years working on Capitol Hill in the office of Congressman Albert R. Wynn (D, MD). In his duties for Congressman Wynn, Biggs specialized in labor, aerospace, energy, defense, foreign affairs, and civil rights issues, including those related to equal pay for equal work, and access to good jobs for all workers, regardless of race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  

Biggs serves as an AFL-CIO Vice President, having served on the Executive Council since 2021.  He also serves on the board of the Department of Professional Employees (DPE), AFL-CIO, and is a member of the Department of Labor’s Labor Advisory Committee (LAC) on trade and labor.  

Biggs is a Washington, DC native, a product of the Prince George's County public school system, and a 1994 graduate from the University of Maryland at College Park, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

 
 

Gay Henson
Secretary-Treasurer

Gay Henson was elected IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer in August 2021 at the union’s 60th Convention and was re-elected at IFPTE's 61st Convention in New Orleans in July 2024. Before that, Gay served the IFPTE Executive Council as Eastern Federal Area VP (2012-2021) representing U.S. federal workers east of the Mississippi focusing on the many issues facing these dedicated public servants.

Gay serves on the AFL-CIO committees on Energy, Women Workers, Organizing, Safety & Occupational Health and Immigration. As one of 8 labor members, Gay also serves on the U.S. Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety & Health (FACOSH) in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 7902(c) which advises the U.S. Secretary of Labor on matters, policies, plans & programs relating to the occupational safety & health of federal employees.

Since April 2024, Gay continues to serve the Maritime Trades Department as a member of their Executive Board. The Maritimes Trade Department promotes a comprehensive legislative agenda aimed at giving maritime workers a grass roots presence.

In late summer 2024, Gay was named to serve as an external participant on the White House Nuclear Power Project Management and Delivery Working Group whose objective is to find legislative remedies to current obstacles of cost, risks & delays in moving forward with nuclear power initiatives. 

Gay’s local union is the Engineering Association (EA) - IFPTE local 1937. The EA represents ~2500 white collar workers at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). She served the EA as President from 2005-2022. The EA membership includes engineers, scientist, technicians, IT professionals, program administrators and operation support specialists. TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider serving 10 million people. Her leadership of the EA includes successfully campaigning to stop the outsourcing and privatization of 220 TVA IT workers’ jobs during the pandemic by engaging community partners and labor support.

At TVA, Gay is employed in work management at the Sequoyah Nuclear Station as a Project Control Specialist. Her TVA career includes many years as a Health Physicist providing radiation protection to workers, the environment, and the public.

Gay studied at Oak Ridge Associated University (ORAU) were she received certification in Applied Health Physics. She is a graduate of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BS degree, She currently resides in Chattanooga, TN & DC with her husband Maurice.

 
 

John Mader
Executive Vice President/Western Area VP

Westerns Region Vice President John Mader has 19 years of experience as an activist member of IFPTE, attending the IFPTE’s triennial convention since 2006.

John’s local union is the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20 (ESC). ESC is a diverse union that represents over 6,000 technical and professional employees working at companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Kaiser Permanente.

John’s first experience with IFPTE began by participating in the organizing drive to organize his classification into ESC. Since then John has helped organize more members in numerous organizing drives.

John is an Electric Distribution Engineer, and ESC Steward, at the PG&E Sacramento Service Center and holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from California State University Sacramento.

John has served the Union in a number of officer capacities including: Treasurer of the ESC PG&E Unit, Secretary Treasurer of ESC Local 20 and currently serves as President of the PG&E Unit of ESC Local 20 and as President for the Union. In addition, John is a member of the IFPTE veteran Committee from his days serving in the U.S. Navy.

 
 

Katie Barrows
Southeast Area VP

Katie Barrows is a member of the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU/IFPTE Local 70). She previously served as NPEU President from 2021 to 2022 and NPEU Vice President of Communications from 2019 to 2021.

Barrows has been published in Teen Vogue, The Hill, Bloomberg, The American Prospect, and many other publications discussing the importance of unions for nonprofit professionals.

Barrows is currently the Communications Director at the Department for Professional Employees (DPE), AFL-CIO. Previously, she worked in the communications department at a free speech nonprofit and as an outreach and research assistant for a congressional research company.

Barrows moved to Washington, D.C. in 2013 to pursue her career in progressive politics and causes after serving as a field organizer for Jay Inslee’s 2012 campaign for governor in Washington state. Building on her experiences interning in multiple district offices of Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Barrows' first role in Washington, D.C. was as an intern on Capitol Hill for Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR).

Barrows' interest in the labor movement came from both her family and her experiences working on Democratic campaigns. Her grandmother was the president of the Portland Association of Teachers and taught her the importance of a fair union contract. Barrows' mother is a librarian who was one of the founding members of her union. Additionally, working on political campaigns in Southwest Washington state, Barrows regularly worked alongside union members and learned about their workplace victories.

Barrows is a proud Pacific Northwest native and a graduate of the University of Washington.

 

John Dimas
SPEEA Area VP

John Dimas is president of SPEEA and formerly served on SPEEA’s Executive Board as a Northwest Vice-President. He served as a Council Representative (Shop Steward) from 2015-2021.

Dimas became a Council Representative because he was curious about his union and wanted to learn how to be an activist.  Dimas has been involved in various committees ranging from Governing Documents, Legislative & Public Affairs, Leadership & Development Training, and Joint Committees  This experience ins his local’s governance and meetings with the employer has been instrumental in helping  determining member’s needs and communicating that with the employer.

Dimas, currently working in Technical Integration, began his career with in Aerospace with The Boeing Company in 2005.  The bulk of Dimas’s career was working Electrical Wire Installation, helping to design how electrical wires are installed in various aircraft.  Dimas has worked on 747, 767, and 777 aircraft.

Dimas was born and raised in the Midwest, specifically in Northern Illinois, about 90 minutes northwest of Chicago. Dimas has a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb Illinois.  He also holds a master’s degree in Digital Audiences from Arizona State University.

Dimas enjoys watching documentaries and volunteering in his free time.  His family includes his wife Donna, two children, and one grandchild.  He also sits on the board of directors of a local non-profit that provides both an activity program and housing for adults with developmental disabilities.

 
 

Benjamin Emmel
Eastern Federal Area VP

Benjamin Emmel was appointed Eastern Federal Area Vice President by IFPTE's Executive Council in March 2024. 

Benjamin currently serves as President of the GAO Employees Organization (GAO/IFPTE Local 1921), which represents nearly 2,500 analysts, auditors, technical specialists, and support staff at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Soon after joining GAO in 2015, Benjamin began his union career as an elected representative for probationary employees and took on positions of increasing responsibility, including serving on the Local's Bargaining Committee since 2017, as Vice President for Membership from 2020 to 2022, and attending the 2018 and 2021 IFPTE Conventions as an elected delegate. 

Professionally, Benjamin is a senior analyst at GAO, where his team conducts audits and investigations supporting Congressional oversight of the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in theology from Seton Hall University and Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Benjamin resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland with his wife and four daughters. In his spare time, Benjamin serves on the board of a local non-profit engaged in community emergency response and promoting amateur radio.

 
 

Frances Hsieh
Western Area VP

Frances is the Vice President for Legislative & Political Action for IFPTE Local 21, overseeing and coordinating the political and legislative advocacy work in San Francisco, the East Bay, and South Bay and on statewide issues and candidates.. She was previously the Chairperson of Local 21’s San Francisco Political Action Committee. She is also the founding co-chair of the Local 21 API-Caucus, and a delegate to the San Francisco Central Labor Council.

Frances has over 20 years of experience in advocacy, politics, and government affairs. She is currently a Legislative Aide for Connie Chan, Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and oversees the office’s work on government accountability, labor issues, immigration policies, public safety, and staffs the Supervisor on the Government Audits Committee and Health Services Board. Previously, she was the senior policy analyst for San Francisco’s Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, where she implemented and enforced the City’s strongest-in-the-nation Language Access Ordinance.

Frances is also involved in local political and community advocacy work. She has previously served as an elected member on the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, which is the governing body of the Democratic Party in San Francisco. She is an active member of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, fighting for more progressive candidates and policies to benefit the most marginalized communities in San Francisco; Comrades, Compas, Kasamas, and Tong Pao of D11, organizing working class families and communities of color in San Francisco’s southernmost neighborhoods; and a former Board member of the San Francisco Women’s Political Committee, helping to promote women and family friendly policies and elect more female candidates to public office.

A native San Franciscan, Frances and her wife, Maritza, have raised their two children in the Excelsior District.

 
 

Michelle Johnston
Canadian Area VP

Michelle Johnston is an IFPTE Canadian Area Vice President and the President of Ontario-based IFPTE Local 160, the Society of United Professionals.

A proud Metis woman from Timmins, Ontario, Ms. Johnston has burst through glass ceilings throughout her more than 30 years in Ontario’s energy sector. Beginning in forestry as a summer student, Ms. Johnston moved on to customer service roles before being recruited to Ontario Hydro’s head office. Prior to becoming an elected union leader, Ms. Johnston worked in IT as a Senior Business Process Analyst at Hydro One.

Ms. Johnston became a union activist during the Society’s 105-day strike of Hydro One in 2005. Organizing her colleagues to fight back against two-tier pensions and benefits was an empowering experience that motivated Ms. Johnston to join the Society’s elected leadership.

Prior to becoming President in 2021, Ms. Johnston served as Secretary-Treasurer. In the Secretary-Treasurer role Ms. Johnston maintained the union’s strong financial position and led successful organizing campaigns to grow the Society’s membership. Ms. Johnston has also served the Society as Executive Vice President of Policy and Unit Director in the Society’s Hydro One Local.

As part of her role Ms. Johnston holds a number of external offices. She is a member of the Canadian Labour Congress’s Canadian Council, a member of the United Way of Greater Toronto Executive Board, and a director of the Ontario Federation of Labour, Canadian Nuclear Association, and Electricity Human Resources Canada.

Ms. Johnston holds an Honours BA in Psychology with a double minor in Sociology and Social Work from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.

Having beat an aggressive form of breast cancer with the support of Ontario’s health care system and her family, in her spare time Ms. Johnston dedicates her efforts to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada and the CIBC Run for the Cure.

 
 
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Matthew Joyce
SPEEA Area VP

Matthew Joyce was elected SPEEA Chair and Midwest Treasurer in the spring of 2021, after serving 4 years as SPEEA Midwest Chair, and through these roles he has represented employees in multiple ways since 2004. He served as an engineering negotiator between Boeing/SPEEA in 2004, served on the 2008 and 2009 SPEEA Negotiations Team as Vice Chair, and served on the 2012 and 2018 SPEEA Negotiations Team as Chair with Spirit AeroSystems. He has been active as a Council Rep on behalf of 2400+ SPEEA- represented employees in Wichita, Kansas, since 2006, as well as serving three terms as Midwest Treasurer and one term as SPEEA Treasurer. He has also worked on several committees, including the Midwest L&PA, SPEEA L&PA, MW Govern Docs, SPEEA Govern Docs, Midwest MAC committees, and currently serves on the Spirit/SPEEA Benefits committee. Mr. Joyce has volunteered to present the SPEEA New Hire Orientation at Spirit since 2012.

Mr. Joyce is a Principal Lead-Systems Integration Engineer at Spirit AeroSystems who, after graduating from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), began his career in 1991 with Boeing working as a Tool Design Engineer. In the years following, he worked as MR&D Engineer, Project Lead Engineer, Interior Design Engineer, Structural Design Engineer and Senior Engineer Consultant in both Commercial and Defense at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems. Programs included, but are not limited to, 777, Citation X, KC- 135, Air Force 1, Airborne Laser Program, KC-46 Tanker, 787 and several other Defense Projects.

Mr. Joyce is active in his local community, and has served on the Derby, Kansas, USD260 School Board since 2009. Through his work on the School Board, he has lent his support to various different committees and represented the district in negotiations for the past ten years. Currently, he is a candidate for Kansas House District 81.

Mr. Joyce is married to his wife of 26 years, Kim, and together they have two adult daughters, Addison and Mayah. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering, woodworking, and attending Kansas State football games.

 
 

Joan Mah
Western Area VP

Joan Mah was appointed the Western Region Vice President representing IFPTE Local 20 in March 2022.

Joan’s Local is the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20/IFPTE AFL-CIO & CLC that represents over 8,000 licensed engineers, scientists, licensed healthcare professionals, and attorneys at PG&E, Kaiser Permanente, the US EPA, Legal Aid at Work, and other employers throughout Northern California.

Joan is proud to serve as the Vice President on the Local 20 Executive Board representing the Optometry unit and has served in this capacity since 2011.

She has been on the Optometry Unit Board since 2007 and served as the Optometry Unit Board President from 2015-2020.

Joan is also the founding chair of the Local 20 Women’s committee which was established in January 2021.

Joan is an optometrist and steward at the Kaiser Permanente San Rafael facility. She  has been practicing Optometry since 1991, has worked at Kaiser since June 1989, and also owned a private practice with her younger brother in South San Francisco.

She has supported multiple labor management teams at Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael since 2000 and has participated in National Bargaining since 2012.

She completed her undergraduate degrees in Microbiology and Immunology and Physiological Optics, and her Doctorate of Optometry degree at the University of California at Berkeley.

Joan lives in the Bay Area with her husband and together they have raised 3 sons.

 
 

Richard Mahe
Canadian Area VP

Richard Mahe is an IFPTE Canadian Area Vice President and the president of the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers (WAPSO/IFPTE Local 162). WAPSO is located on the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the traditional homeland of the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation.

Richard was first elected to his local’s board in 2015 and has since been actively involved in different committees and board positions. First elected as president in 2017, Richard is now serving his second term. Richard’s local represents over 800 civic professionals including engineers, accountants, city planners, and other professionals of the Winnipeg public service who have dedicated their careers to ensuring that Winnipeg is a vibrant and flourishing city.

Richard joined the Board of WAPSO to advance the interests of its members and to help lead the organization to play a more active role in the labour community. Under his leadership, WAPSO is now an active member of the Winnipeg Labour Council and the Manitoba Federal of Labour.

Richard received his masters of City Planning from the University of Manitoba in 2010. His expertise includes land use and transportation policy and urban design. Richard’s experience working in government, the private sector, and the public sector, has given him unique insight into politics and labour relations at the local and provincial level.

Richard is a proud franco-manitoban who is active in his community, including having served as president of a local francophone artist-run centre. His family includes his wife Kim, and his two sons Félix and Samuel.

 
 
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Sean McBride
Atlantic Area VP

Sean comes from a strong Labor family following the lead of his father and grandfathers throughout organized labor.

Sean started his career with IFPTE in 1987 becoming a member of IFPTE Local 196 then moving through various Local 196 leadership positions.

Sean is proud to serve as President of the Garden State Parkway Employees organization, President of IFPTE Local 196 representing many authorities, counties and municipalities throughout New Jersey while also representing IFPTE in the Atlantic Area and working closely with the NJ State AFL-CIO.

He is most proud of his family His son Sean Jr., and daughters Kelly and Kelsey.

A life long resident of Locust, NJ, McBride is also committed to community service working with various charitable organizations, and continues to be an active Firefighter/EMT for over 35 years achieving the rank of Captain in 2017.

 
 

Steve Pinto
Atlantic Area VP

Steve was appointed Atlantic Area Vice President at the Spring Executive Council Meeting in May of 2023.

His 37 year career with the State of New Jersey began in 1980 as a staff mechanic trainee at Kean University in the Facilities and Maintenance department. Steve didn’t come from a family of union members and, in sharp contrast to their non-union experiences, quickly learned the importance and benefit of fair employee representation. Accordingly, Steve became an active participant in IFPTE Local 195’s Kean chapter meetings and events very early on. He was elected Chapter Treasurer in the mid 1990’s and continued in this role until he was appointed Chapter President in 2001 by Local President Dominick Critelli Jr. After being duly elected, Steve served continuously as Chapter President until 2017. During these years, he held several Local level positions including Presidential Assistant, Election Committee Chair and Local Trustee. In early 2017, Local 195’s Executive Board approved his appointment as a staff organizer and he began working full time for the Local.

In addition to ongoing duties as an organizer, Steve currently serves as Local 195 Trustee Chair, an elected position with the responsibility of reviewing complex member issues. His daily responsibilities also include working directly with members in need of assistance. For instance, he is a proactive liaison between the membership and various state offices, including state human resource and payroll departments, state police, DEP, transportation and various universities and colleges, among others.  

Steve has completed a number of labor education courses and is a graduate of the Union Leadership Academy at Rutgers University. 

Steve resides in Manalapan NJ with Donna, his wife of 25 years. Steve’s happiest moments are spent with family, particularly with his five very active young grandchildren.

 
 

Denise Robinson
Northeastern Area VP

Denise Robinson currently serves as President of IFPTE Local 400 representing members at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). She is currently employed as an Engineering Technician IV at RIDOT.

While in Local 400, Denise has served as Correspondence Secretary, Steward, Unit Representative, Chief Steward, and Vice President. She has actively been attending the NE Council, serving as a delegate for Local 400, and currently is Vice President of the NE Council. Denise currently serves on the Executive Board of the RI AFL-CIO. She is also a member of the National Coalition of Labor Union Women and serves as a trustee on the Executive Board of the RI Chapter of Coalition of Labor Union Women, and the Women’s Solidarity Network (which she joined at the IFPTE 59th Convention).

In 1989 she began her career at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Upon her employment with RIDOT, she became active with Local 400. Denise’s union experience started back in 1980 as a recording secretary for Local 1293 AFSCME-Council 94 AFL-CIO; she moved through the ranks becoming a Steward and then Treasurer. She has been employed in union jobs for over 40 years.

Denise was born and raised in Rhode Island and now shares a home with her significant other, Paula, in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She has a daughter and three wonderful grandsons, she loves spending time with family and friends, and enjoys giving back to her community.

 
 

Ryan Rule
SPEEA Area VP

Ryan Rule is currently SPEEA Secretary. He is a former Council Rep who has served multiple roles on the SPEEA Executive Board since 2009. He also served as SPEEA president for two terms starting in 2014.

Rule also served on the 2012 and 2016 SPEEA Negotiations Teams. That experience showed him another side of the company. "If they had their way, nobody would know what their benefits are from day to day because Boeing wanted the ability to change them on a whim — as they have done for non-represented employees," he said.

Rule, an electronic systems design and analysis engineer, went to work at Boeing in 2001. Since then, he has worked in many areas, including Phantom Works, Connexion by Boeing, Integrated Defense Systems and Commercial Aviation Services (CAS). He's currently at Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) Cabin and Network Systems (C&NS).

He has three Bachelor of Science degrees — one each in physics, applied math and computer science. While working at Boeing, he went to graduate school at the University of Washington and earned two Master of Science degrees — one in physics and the other in computer science and engineering.

In 2019, he became an Associate Technical Fellow (ATF), one of the highest honors for technical excellence at Boeing. In 2015, he joined the board of the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation (JCATI), which provides funding for industry-academic partnerships. He serves as the statewide labor representative on the JCATI board.

He was born and raised in California's central valley. For hobbies, Rule enjoys traveling and scuba diving. His family includes his wife, Carrie, and four children. He's also president of the Parent Teacher Association for his children's elementary school, a role he has served since 2018.

 
 

Jamie Uyeunten
Western Federal Area VP

Jamie Uyeunten was elected Western Regional Federal Vice President of IFPTE, AFL-CIO & CLC at the Union’s Executive Council meeting in August 2021.

Jamie is the President of IFPTE Local 121, a diverse union of more than 3,000 technical and professional bargaining unit members comprised of nine (9) units in seven (7) different agencies in Hawaii. These agencies include Navy agencies Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF), Naval Facilities (NAVFAC) Hawaii, NAVFAC Pacific, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA); as well as the Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency.

Jamie became a member of IFPTE Local 121 in 2006. She served as interim Treasurer of IFPTE Local 121 from 2008 to 2010. Jamie continues to serve as President of IFPTE Local 121 from 2010 to present.

Jamie is a General Engineer at PHNSY & IMF. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Jamie is active in her local community and continues to serve as a vice president of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO. In addition, she has served as the Vice President and is currently Sergeant-at-Arms of the Hawaii Federal Employees Metal Trades Council.

 
 

Julian Ware
Western Area VP

Julian Ware is from Local 21, which represents public sector workers proudly serving our communities across the San Francisco Bay Area.  Local 21 is an innovative, growing union of over 11,000 professional, supervisory, and managerial government employees in major jurisdictions throughout the Bay Area.  Our members come from a diverse set of backgrounds with a geographic spread across the San Francisco Bay Area, anchoring our union solidly across all sides of the Bay.

Julian serves as the Vice President for Oakland on the Executive Board for Local 21 and has done so for the past several years.  In addition to his roles as a Board member, he continues his work as a Union Steward, which began his passion for Union work.

He has been an employee of the City of Oakland's IT Department since 2002 performing spatial analysis to empower the community, and considers Oakland his adoptive City.

Julian is a San Francisco Native and continues to reside there with his wife and two children.