I would first of all like to thank Ray Hair, Bruce Fife, and Jay Blumenthal for their leadership during one of the most existential threats we've ever encountered as a Union. They have done an amazing job navigating the treacherous waters of our times. From the financial hardship that was left by the previous administration to the work we all did together to shore up our pension fund, we all have a debt of gratitude that could never be repaid.

Now it's time for the next chapter to be written. The American Federation of Musicians needs to keep evolving in order to keep up with our changing times. We must acknowledge our weaknesses, so we may address them and make them our strengths. We are a collection of locals, but we must become a union of locals. During the pandemic, it was increasingly obvious that with the technology that we have now we can communicate much easier with our brothers and sisters across our two nations we must learn from each other the best practices to maintain membership, engagement, recognize organizing opportunities, and most importantly, we must continue to educate all of our officers on how to be a great local.

As vice president, I want to build upon the legacy Bruce has built. We must continue to educate our officers on the business of running a local, the tools and training to organize musicians, and the leadership to know what it means to lead from behind. We must continue to give the musicians agency over their work. We cannot do the work for them; we can do the work with them. We must continue to develop our relationship with our elected officials so that they realize how important we are not to just the soul of the communities, but to the economic impact we have in our countries. We must fight together to repeal the laws that have held us back since World War II. We also must work with the other arts organizations to get the message across to society that you cannot claim to support the arts unless you support the artists. And finally, we must participate in the larger labor movement. This means, we must attend labor councils in our jurisdictions, and we must be willing to participate in work actions to support other Unions. We cannot afford to go alone anymore. We all must take control of our futures. When we do, there is nothing we can't accomplish.

Why VPU?
It is an honor to be a part of the Voices, Power, Unity team. I’ve had a chance to work with Kale, Ellen, Dusty, John, and Mont Chris. Everyone on the team brings their own unique skills and enthusiasm. I’m proud to be a part of an amazing ensemble of leaders.