Ed Fund Hires New Executive Director
Oakland (April 15, 2008 ) - The Education Fund announces the appointment of Mary
Ruth Gross as its new Executive Director. The appointment follows the departure of Joan Braconi, who served as the Fund's executive director since its inception in 2005. Ms. Braconi leaves to enjoy a long-planned retirement.
Ms. Gross has been Director of the Homecare Division of SEIU UHW-West.
She brings to her new position relevant experience and a solid foundation for addressing the unique challenges and mission of the union-negotiated, employer-funded Education Trust Fund.
As the former long-time head of the Center for Research and Education at UC-Berkeley's Institute for Industrial Relations, Ms. Gross designed and facilitated labor-management cooperation projects in hotel, refinery and in public sector settings and conducted trainings on listening and problem-solving. She also co-authored Tailgate Training for Construction Workers and edited the second addition of California Workers Rights.
Ms. Gross earned a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School and served on the Governing Board of the San Jose Evergreen Community College District.
"I have enjoyed my tenure as director of the Homecare Division immensely and look forward to overseeing the Education Fund," Ms. Gross says. "I have great respect for Joan Braconi, with whom I worked as a peer for many years, and for the Trust Fund, which has grown tremendously under her direction. I anticipate a smooth transition and look forward to the future."
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Ed Fund Graduates Honored
Oakland (Oct. 19, 2007) - More than 50 people gathered at Oakland's City Center Marriott to celebrate the accomplishments of Northern California healthcare workers who have advance their careers through the fund's stipend and career upgrade programs. The graduates received Certificates of Completion and accolades from Ed Fund Executive Director Joan Braconi, Ed Fund Trustees Cheri Kunold of Catholic Healthcare West and Sal Rosselli, president of SEIU UHW-West and from Wilma Chan, former Oakland Assemblywoman and State Senate candidate.
The graduates are employees of hospitals that participate in the Education Fund, a statewide partnership of labor and management aimed at providing training opportunities for existing workers to move into higher-paying positions as well as ensuring a future hospital workforce that is highly skilled and provides the highest quality of patient care.
"We are extremely proud of these graduates in particular and the Joint Employer Education Fund in particular," Rosselli said. "These workers haven't just move up the career ladder and improved their lives - the healthcare workforce and ultimately patent care has been improved. It's an example of what can be accomplished when the employer and the union work together towards a common goal."
Some 3,400 SEIU members have been served by the Education Fund since 2005. More than 70,000 healthcare workers who are SEIU members across California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are eligible for the Education Fund services.
"These graduates have studied long and hard to attain success and rise up the career ladder in their fields," Braconi said. "We congratulate them and honor them for their achievements."###
- Demand for technical and college-educated health workers expected to grow, new study says.
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