Over the last year, JNESO’s Central Office has grown, with a full complement of Labor Representatives, Organizers, Directors and Staff to assist Members, bargain competitive contracts and grow our Union in exciting new ways.

Since some of these faces are new, and all are here to serve our members, we’d like to introduce you to JNESO’s Local representatives and organizers.

Yolanda Brewer is a graduate of Rutgers with degrees in both Labor Studies and Journalism, and is completing a Master’s program in Labor Relations from Rutgers. She comes to JNESO with 22 years as an AFSCME Local 888 President, Executive Board Member and Trustee.

Yolanda is the Labor Rep. for the Voorhees West Jersey Local.

Diane J. Grady comes to us following years of experience in both health care and Union settings. She was a Personnel Director for a three-county Health Department in North Carolina, Personnel Director for Eyes First Vision Center and spent 12 years as a business agent from Local 108 RWDSU/UFCW in Maplewood NJ.

Diane is the Rep for the Bergen, Hoboken, Pocono and St. Mary’s RNs Locals.

Machelle Woolston, or “Mac” continues JNESO’s tradition of hiring from within our Membership. Mac is a Registered Nurse with 9 years experience concentrating on pediatrics, and provides a vital nursing perspective within JNESO’s staff. In her rare spare time, she is pursuing a degree in Nursing.

Mac is the Rep for the Atlantic County, Bacharach, Meadow View and the Berlin, Camden and Marlton West Jersey Locals.

Meredith Larson is also a graduate of Rutgers, with a BA in Labor Studies and a Masters in Labor and Industrial Relations. She also has two Human Resources certificates – one from Rutgers. She was a Union Representative for the RWDSU Local 108 UFCW and RWDSU Local 1102 UFCW and worked with RWDSU’s International office.

Alicia Kuiper is another Member-turned-employee, as she used to work at Bergen Regional Medical Center as a behavioral health dietitian (and shop steward.) She has a B.S. in Nutrition/Food Sciences from Montclair State University and a Master’s of Science in Nutrition/Food Management from the University of Central Oklahoma.

She has also worked at several non-Union facilities in New Jersey, the experience of which led her to join JNESO as an organizer.

Theresa Calhoun comes to JNESO following 8 years Community Outreach Organizer at the East Orange School District and several years before that as a Financial Analyst and Internal Auditor for various banks in New York City.

As JNESO’s Community Organizer, Theresa builds relationships and coalitions with civic leaders, local organizations and churches during campaigns when community interests and member interests merge, such as with the effort to keep St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic open with services intact.