Jason Eggerman

My name is Jason Eggerman, and I’m running for AHE President. For the past ten years, I’ve served as SCC Vice President, SCC Senator-at-Large, and as a senator. I was a member of our bargaining team in 2018-19 and served as the lead bargainer during negotiations for our new 2025-28 contract. As SCC Vice President, I’ve assisted with representing faculty during grievances, Title IX investigations, and ethics investigations. I’ve also been involved in representing faculty during a reduction in force (RIF), where we successfully ensured the faculty in the program got transferred into other tenured positions. I’ve attended trainings at the WEA headquarters in Federal Way, participated in NEA’s National Conference on Higher Education (NCHE), experienced WEA’s Representative Assembly, and attended the NEA National Leadership Summit.

In addition to the specifics mentioned above, what is much harder to describe are the countless hours I’ve spent problem-solving and assisting members with specific, individual situations. That work gives me confidence stepping into this role, but I realize there is always more to learn. Our union represents two complex and ever-evolving colleges. This means that listening to our members is the only real way for me as President to understand and advocate for what you need. There is always more institutional knowledge, more context, and more nuance to be learned.

Those who know me would likely say that I have a direct and upfront communication style and that I’m not afraid to call it how I see it. This serves me well when navigating disagreements or difficult conversations with administration. However, I also I believe deeply that relationship-building is a critical aspect of this job. I have had the good fortune during my time as SCC Vice President to cultivate mutually respectful working relationships with administrators from SCC, SFCC, and the District, even when we’ve had disagreements or have had to work through tough issues. I believe those relationships will serve me well as AHE President.

I also understand that our Master Contract is critical. In fact, about ten years ago, I made it a habit to read the entire contract at the end of each quarter. That, combined with participating in the last two bargains, has given me a deep working knowledge of our contract. I have also researched older versions of the contract (and have copies in my office going back to 1981) in order to understand our history and how the language has evolved over time. Having this detailed and historical perspective helps provide context when navigating discussions or disagreements about contract language.

At the end of the day, the main thing I want to convey is that I believe the most important job of the AHE President is to support you as faculty. It’s honestly that simple. I am running for President because I want to handle the problems so that you love coming to work and can focus your energy and time on your students and programs.

I would be honored to serve as your next AHE President.

Jackie Franklin

Jackie Franklin’s journey with Community Colleges of Spokane spans three decades, evolving from a student to an influential leader within the district. She faced an abundance of challenges, but with support from dedicated faculty, she persevered, changing the trajectory of not only her life but the lives of her children and extended family. From first-generation college student to statewide advocate, Jackie knows what it means to fight for opportunity and for each other. With more than 25 years of service, leadership, and advocacy behind her, Jackie is ready to take the next step leading as your next AHE president. Her career reflects a deep understanding of the faculty experience and her fierce commitment to ensuring every member’s voice is heard, and importantly, that those members are valued, and protected.

Jackie has a wealth of experience from her many years serving in leadership roles. On Campus, she held chair positions for her department, Guided Pathways, and Governance. In the Union, her roles included Senator, Senator at Large, Bargainer, and now serving a third term as the SFCC Associated Vice President.  Jackie has a variety of experiences as instructional faculty focusing on both career and transfer education. She taught business classes at four institutions as an adjunct, annualized, and tenured positions. Time spent in various roles deepened her belief that education has the power to transform lives. She experienced the transformation firsthand in earning her Associate of Applied Science in Accounting from SFCC. With the mentorship and encouragement from an SFCC instructor, she transferred to Gonzaga to earn her BA, before pursuing her MBA from Eastern Washington University.  Jackie developed a deep understanding of both private and academic sectors, and she finds tremendous value in relationships and meaningful conversations.

Jackie recognizes that this career is more than teaching; there are many external factors influencing and impacting the job. As a result, she has become an avid advocate at the state and national level demonstrated by her engagement in lobbying days for higher education and recent testimony before the Ways and Means Committee in strong opposition to changing the formula used to calculate cost of living adjustment (COLAs). The path ahead for our membership and our faculty will not be smooth, but Jackie is no stranger to adversity.  If life has taught her anything, it is that every obstacle holds the potential for growth, and she’s ready to lead with steadfast commitment to finding solutions that move us forward.  

As your next AHE president, Jackie will draw on the education and mentorship she received from previous AHE, WEA, and NEA leadership. Jackie is dedicated to ensuring a balanced approach to governance—one that seeks to listen to educator voices and to express the needs and the interests of all members in her role as a president. You will see firsthand her commitment to faculty advocacy, fairness, and empowerment.

Geoffrey Bagwell

I am honored to be nominated to serve as treasurer and believe that my background and my service to AHE has prepared me to do this job well.

I am a fierce advocate of the labor movement. My father is a retired union carpenter and my mother is a historian of the labor movement. I have learned much about the labor movement from her and observed the effects of union action (and inaction) on my father’s career. The
most important lesson I learned from them is the power of union membership; advocating effectively for better working conditions comes through power in numbers.

When I arrived at SCC in 2011, I become a member of AHE straight-away despite the fact that it is uncommon for faculty members at college and universities to be unionized. Though I did not take an active role in AHE until after I received tenure, when the opportunity to become a senator arose, I took it; and, since fall of 2021, I have also served as SCC’s senator-at-large. In addition, I have served on the bargaining commission and participated in bargaining training with the current team at WEA in 2023. I also recently attended the NEA higher education conference in Philadelphia where I received additional training.

Senators-at-large work with AHE leadership to respond to challenges. One which I took up on my own was to try to convince the few non members at SCC to join. Several newer faculty members have joined after I spoke with them. I am very proud of this achievement. I am currently a member of the membership and elections committees where I continue this work.

While these experiences have helped me to become a more effective advocate for AHE, it is not directly prepared me to be treasurer. However, I am a philosopher and a philosopher is lover of learning. Though I do not have any background in bookkeeping, I possess a working knowledge of bookkeeping and the generally accepted accounting principles used in higher education. In Philadelphia, I attended a session on how college and university budgets work and especially how they differ from accounting practices in the private sector. As senator at large, I have participated in discussions with the executive board about the annual budget and learned how the role of treasurer serves the overall mission of AHE. I also hope to work closely
with Renee Goffinet before she officially steps down to learn more about AHE and how she has kept the books during the years that she has served as treasurer.

For these reasons, I believe that I am prepared to be AHE treasurer and hope that they convince you to vote in support of my candidacy.

Shawna Shelton

Hello, my name is Shawna Shelton, and I have been a Counselor at SFCC since 2014.  I am writing today to express my interest in the position of AHE Treasurer because I believe in the power of collective effort and financial transparency to support our shared goals. As a long-time union member, I have seen how important it is to have someone in this role who is organized and dependable. 

I bring a strong attention to detail, integrity, and a sense of accountability that I believe this position demands. My experience with bookkeeping has most recently involved working with a small mental health private practice.  In this role I meticulously record all financial transactions, manage accounts payable and accounts receivable, reconcile bank statements, submit and reconcile insurance claims, monitor the budget, prepare reports and tax documents, and ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements. While my experience has been outside a school or university setting, I believe the core principles of good financial stewardship apply universally.  

In addition to having experience with budgeting and recordkeeping, I’m also someone who listens well, communicates clearly, and believes in fairness. I understand that union dues represent the hard-earned money of every member, and it’s the treasurer’s responsibility to manage those funds wisely by keeping accurate records and regularly reporting on the union’s financial state. I’m confident in my ability to do just that. 

Though I may not come from a traditional accounting background, I bring real-world financial experience and a strong commitment to fairness, clarity, and service. I’m excited by the opportunity to make a positive difference and help ensure the Union’s resources are used effectively for the benefit of all. 

Thank you for considering my application. I would be honored to serve as your AHE Treasurer. 

Ronda Moorhead & Tim Roe (running as co-Secretaries) – Elected via acclamation

Ronda and Tim have worked together as the co-secretaries for AHE for the past six years. We have built effective strategies to document the work of AHE and be able to share the work occuring with all members. We see our role as the following:

1. Keep AHE organized. This means supporting the AHE president by keeping track of the agendas for our meetings and helping to ensure that our constitution, bylaws, and Roberts Rules of Order are followed.
2. Keeping and sharing minutes of AHE Senate meetings and AHE Executive Board meetings.

Ronda and Tim have been involved in a variety of work across campus which allows us to support the work of AHE beyond our formal responsibilities as co-secretaries. Further, we have both attended the National Conference for Higher Education through the NEA multiple times. We are both committed to fully supporting faculty and supporting the work of AHE.

Michelle Pearson – Elected via acclamation

Michelle Pearson earned her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before that, she was a student and graduate of both Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University. Like many of our students, Michelle changed careers and returned to school. After working for several years as an Interior Designer and Project Manager, the recession changed everything, opening the door for a return to school in the pursuit of study in the biological sciences. Being a scientist and researcher is rewarding and exciting in many ways, but Michelle is most passionate about teaching and working with students. Beyond teaching, she serves as a Learning Outcomes Assessment Coordinator at SFCC, a role that began in 2022 that supports faculty in their assessment work. Michelle also advises students on their academics, advises SFCC’s Environmental Club, serves on a thesis committee at EWU, is a member of the SFCC Program Map Committee, and is currently a senator for our union. As SFCC’s next Representative to the Board of Trustees, Michelle will diligently promote the achievements of our college and its members. 

Christina Mitma-Momono – Elected via acclamation

Christina Mitma Momono is a ESL Instructor in the Adult Education Center.  She has been teaching at Spokane Colleges, and Gonzaga University for nearly 20 years.  She has also served as the LASO and NASO advisor bringing great speakers including Aaron Carpella, Rose Ann Abrahamson and Efren Ramirez.   Also, the WEA Community Grant was initiated and worked on my her, connecting our communities from early education to higher education, we can’t do anything alone but more together.   Happy to represent la gente at SCC and keep learning more.

Lena Lopez-Schindler – Elected via acclamation

Hi my name is Lena J. Lopez Schindler and I would like to be your adjunct representative.  I am just completing my first term being the adjunct representative for the AHE.  I feel like I got my toes wet and I am ready to jump in.  I have really enjoyed meeting other faculty in this capacity. I have some plans on how to improve my contact points with adjuncts to better serve our needs.  I have taught at both campuses since 2012 in the Fine Arts and Interior Design departments at SFCC, and in the Humanities at SCC.   I am active in the visual arts community in Spokane.  I look forward to representing our adjunct faculty.