ALPA’s Newest Elected Local Leaders Train Virtually

By John Perkinson, Senior Staff Writer
Capt. Bill Couette, ALPA vice president–administration/secretary, and F/O Mark Lockwood, Leadership Committee Chair.

Ensuring that ALPA pilot leaders are ready to perform their duties is a top priority for the Association. In conjunction with the union’s local council election cycle, ALPA conducts the Leadership Training Conference each year early in the first quarter to ensure that the Association’s newest local council representatives and officers understand what’s expected of them before they assume their posts on March 1. However, the circumstances surrounding this year’s conference required ALPA to deviate from its usual approach.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and limitations placed on large events and gatherings, this year’s training was conducted via Zoom video conference. On February 24, Capt. Bill Couette, ALPA’s vice president−administration/secretary, and members of the Association’s Leadership Committee broadcast live from the union’s McLean, Va., offices.

To accommodate the virtual format, this year’s one-day agenda focused on key resources and support offered to ALPA’s elected leaders to help them represent their pilots most effectively. As a complement to this instruction, additional web-based modules are available to ALPA status reps and local council officers throughout March and April, including presentations from Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA’s president; Capt. Bob Fox, ALPA’s first vice president and national safety coordinator; Capt. Joseph Genovese, ALPA vice president−finance/treasurer; and other subject-matter experts.

More than 70 attendees, including some master executive council (MEC) officers and pilot representatives from national committees, began the conference by watching a welcome video from ALPA’s president. “I want to thank you sincerely for taking up the mantle of responsibility to represent your pilot groups, especially during one of the most challenging times in our industry’s history,” DePete said. “As you lead your pilot group, I urge you to keep in mind the contribution that ALPA pilots make to our companies, our communities, our countries, and, of course, our global economy.”

Couette provided an overview of local council rep core responsibilities and a thorough examination of Robert’s Rules of Order for conducting efficient local council meetings. He explained that those elected leaders who are status reps need to understand their responsibilities as members of their pilot group’s MEC as well as the Board of Directors, ALPA’s highest governing body.

F/O Mark Lockwood (Delta), ALPA’s Leadership Committee chair, remarked that ALPA reps have one of the most important roles in the Association. He noted that councils are split up into three elections groups so that approximately one-third of ALPA’s status rep and local council officer positions are elected each year. This practice of staggering office terms allows pilot groups to maintain some consistency with the elected leaders who remain in office while new posts are being filled.

Conference attendees learned about the MEC’s role in contract negotiations, managing grievances, and how to represent members in disciplinary proceedings. Other training segments included a presentation from David Krieger, ALPA’s general manager, who gave an overview of ALPA’s 10 departments and the services they perform. “Almost every project touches on multiple departments,” he said, adding that the Association is “pilot-led and staff-supported.”

Other Leadership Committee members taking an active role in the conference included Capt. Sean Creed (Spirit), the Association’s Group B1 executive vice president, and Capt. Rob Slovitsky (United). F/O Glen Gorrie (WestJet), a new member of the committee, wasn’t able to be present at ALPA’s offices for the broadcast but participated in the event online.

While ALPA is taking measures to ensure that new local council leaders have all the resources and support they need to properly serve the Association, the union recognizes the value of face-to-face contact and the networking opportunities lost by conducting the meeting remotely, which is why the Leadership Committee is planning to host an in-person conference scheduled for September. This training will provide more time for discussions, role-playing exercises, breakout sessions, and other activities in which pilot leaders can connect and build relationships.


New and Reelected ALPA Reps

The following ALPA leaders took office on March 1 for a three-year term ending Feb. 29, 2024. Don’t see your rep on the list? Log in and select the Representative tab for the name and e-mail of your elected master executive and local council officers.

Air Transport International 190
Capt. Michael Sterling,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Air Transport International 190
F/O Timothy Williams,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Air Transport International 190
Capt. Christian Padilla,
Secretary-Treasurer

Alaska 59
Capt. Robert Kloft,
Chair (SB Rep #1)

Alaska 59
F/O Neal Kandarian,
Vice Chair

Alaska 59
Capt. Daniel Richards,
Secretary-Treasurer

Alaska 63
Capt. Shaun Murray,
Chair (SB Rep #2)

Alaska 63
F/O Matthew Adams,
Vice Chair
(SB Rep #7)

Alaska 63
Capt. Timothy Huseby,
Secretary-Treasurer

Calm Air 213
Capt. Nicolas Archambault,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Calm Air 213
F/O Amr Abdelsamad,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Calm Air 213
Capt. Shaun Harman,
Secretary-Treasurer

Canadian North 222
Capt. William Rodgers,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Canadian North 222
F/O Derrick Kocik,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Canadian North 222
Capt. Adrian Sewepegaham,
Secretary-Treasurer

Delta 1
Capt. David Forbes,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Delta 1
F/O Jeffrey Engberg,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Delta 1
F/O Jack Sabba,
Secretary-Treasurer

Delta 16
Capt. Robert Kolbus,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Delta 16
Capt. Steven Johnson,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Delta 16
F/O Timothy Farwell,
Secretary-Treasurer

Delta 48
F/O Samuel Mason,
Chair (Status Rep)

Delta 48
F/O Ian Turner,
Vice Chair

Delta 48
F/O Nicholson Reed,
Secretary-Treasurer

Endeavor Air 129
Capt. Daniel Krieger,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Endeavor Air 129
F/O Tracie Zampa,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Endeavor Air 129
F/O Adam Spurrier,
Secretary-Treasurer

Envoy Air 83
Capt. Eric Metcalf,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Envoy Air 83
F/O Mikko Tuomi,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Envoy Air 83
F/O Brian Depuy,
Secretary-Treasurer

FedEx Express 14
Capt. David Sveden,
Chair (SB Rep #10)

FedEx Express 14
Capt. Jerome Wallace,
Vice Chair

FedEx Express 14
F/O Jennifer Johnson,
Secretary-Treasurer

FedEx Express 26
Capt. Mark Hollis,
Chair (SB Rep #3)

FedEx Express 26
Capt. Nicholas Bolander,
Vice Chair
(SB Rep #11)

FedEx Express 26
F/O Michele Lavigna,
Secretary-Treasurer
(SB Rep #6)

Frontier 169
Capt. Kathryn Judge,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Frontier 169
F/O Gary Holzinger,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Frontier 169
Capt. Jonathan Greene,
Secretary-Treasurer

Jazz Aviation 223
Capt. Ken Broomhead,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Jazz Aviation 223
F/O Cornel Garvey,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Jazz Aviation 223
Capt. Peter Gosse,
Secretary-Treasurer

JetBlue 197
Capt. William Eway,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

JetBlue 197
F/O Nicholas Pilhuj,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

JetBlue 197
F/O Joel Morassutti,
Secretary-Treasurer

JetBlue 199
Capt. Jonathan Sandrolini,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

JetBlue 199
F/O Randy Erickson,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

JetBlue 199
Capt. Justin Houck,
Secretary-Treasurer

Kalitta Air 140
Capt. Jeremy Keyes,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Kalitta Air 140
F/O Todd Thursby,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Kalitta Air 140
F/O Robert Banks,
Secretary-Treasurer

Kelowna Flightcraft 206
Capt. Graham Cartwright,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Kelowna Flightcraft 206
F/O Kesar Nizzar,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Kelowna Flightcraft 206
Capt. Fraser Carpenter,
Secretary-Treasurer

Mesa 84
Capt. Timothy Gilleran,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Mesa 84
F/O Andrew Johnson,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Mesa 84
Capt. Timothy Powell,
Secretary-Treasurer

Piedmont 35
Capt. Allyson Geiger,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Piedmont 35
F/O Andrew Derrick,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Piedmont 35
F/O Anthony Robino,
Secretary-Treasurer

Provincial 229
Capt. Kristen Legge,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Provincial 229
F/O Smith Woolfrey,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Provincial 229
F/O Moe Asfour,
Secretary-Treasurer

PSA 69
Capt. Taylor Miolen,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

PSA 69
F/O Bryan Rosenthal,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

PSA 69
Capt. Daniel Ault,
Secretary-Treasurer

Sky Regional 207
Capt. Cameron Hill,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Sky Regional 207
F/O Cameron Caldwell,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Sky Regional 207
Capt. Jeff Peel,
Secretary-Treasurer

Spirit 77
Capt. Craig Devries,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

Spirit 77
F/O Andrew Hardman,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

Spirit 77
F/O Phillip Murders,
Secretary-Treasurer

United 5
Capt. Glenn Johnson,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

United 5
F/O Chris McCullough,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

United 5
Capt. Phil Wenzel,
Secretary-Treasurer

United 11
Capt. James Crytser,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

United 11
F/O Anne Worster,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

United 11
Capt. Christopher Jones,
Secretary-Treasurer

United 34
Capt. Noel Ojeda,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

United 34
F/O Jacob Eve,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

United 34
F/O Amy Jayo,
Secretary-Treasurer

United 173
Capt. Donald Clark,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

United 173
F/O Chad Bruch,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

United 173
F/O Trent Woodworth,
Secretary-Treasurer

WestJet 227
Capt. Jason Harris,
Chair (Capt. Rep)

WestJet 227
F/O Julien Boisvert,
Vice Chair (F/O Rep)

WestJet 227
Capt. Peter Noh,
Secretary-Treasurer

This article was originally published in the March 2021 issue of Air Line Pilot.

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