New TEAM Executive Director: The TEAM Board is pleased to announce the hire of our new Executive Director, Katherine Johnson. Katherine has strong skills for board management, customer service, operations, finance and accounting and mentoring employees and volunteers. She developed these skills in a career that included small business ownership, government economic development, private venture investing and political management. Most recently, Katherine was Executive Director for the Manitoba Liberal Party and Constituency Office Director for a member of parliament.
Katherine enjoys coaching and supporting others to achieve their personal and professional goals, and leading continuous improvement in operations. One of Katherine’s career achievements was to run an innovative campaign, defeating an incumbent, and be elected to the Civil Service Superannuation Board, serving the retirement security of 27,000 Manitoba civil servants and their families. Katherine has an MBA from Queen’s University and a BA in Administration from the University of Winnipeg. Katherine and her husband, David, are long-time Winnipeggers and have two adult sons. Katherine can be contacted via email or phone at katherine.johnson@teamunion.mb.ca and 204-984-9471.
Staff Updates: With our new Executive Director in place, it is the first time since January 2022 that we have had a full complement of staff and support resources working out of the TEAM office. Working alongside Katherine are the following new and familiar members of our team:
- Gordon Lillie, Labour Relations Officer: Gordon joins us on a secondment leave from his current Bell MTS/Canada position of Right-of-Way Agent and First Nations Liaison in the Property Acquisition Department, which he joined in 2021. Gordon holds a LL.B from the University of Manitoba and a B.A from Brandon University. He received his call to the Manitoba Bar in 1993 and has worked in legal positions primarily for public sector employers until this early retirement from the Province of Manitoba where he spent the majority of his civil service career employed as a District Registrar of both the Morden and Portage la Prairie Land Titles Office. Gordon’s union labour relations experience began while very active in the postal unions while employed with Canada Post during his degree studies. He brings experience in interpreting and advising on collective agreements and workplace policies from both a union and employer perspective. He holds a Certificate in Mediation from Mediation Services Manitoba, and volunteers with The Law Society of Manitoba through assisting the Legal Help Centre located in Winnipeg. Members wishing to contact Gordon may do so by email or phone at gordon.lillie@teamunion.mb.ca and 204-984-9472.
- Mavis De La Ronde, Office and Information Coordinator: Mavis has been with Bell MTS/Canada for over 23 years. She has worked in all Customer Care areas: Wireless, Wireline, Internet, and TV. Most recently, before coming to TEAM last May, Mavis was a CEED Call Coach. When she is not working, you can probably find her at an arena or field with one of her four children, who are all actively involved in hockey and lacrosse. Mavis enjoys spending time with her family and their family dogs Rufus and Maple. She also enjoys traveling, camping, and reading. Members looking to connect with Mavis may do so by emailing or calling the office at team@teamunion.mb.ca and 204-984-9470.
- Erin Spencer, IFPTE Representative/Organizer: Joining TEAM in 2009, Erin has spent the past fifteen years working on behalf of TEAM members, first as Labour Relations Analyst, then as Labour Relations Officer, and most recently as Executive Director. She is a proven advocate and ardent defender of employee rights with almost twenty years of experience building relationships and representing workers as a knowledgeable, empathetic, and trusted source of counsel and guidance on labour relations matters of all types and complexities. Erin believes strongly in the ability of unions to advance the social and economic welfare of workers, and to work as a tool for fairness, equality, and improvement in the workplace and society, and she looks forward to continuing to work on behalf and in support of TEAM members in her new role. Erin will continue to work out of the TEAM office and can still be contacted via email or phone at erin.spencer@teamunion.mb.ca and 204-984-9474.