OFFICIAL NOTICE:
WFNHP-Local 5000 Officers & Delegates Election Results
July 6, 2026
We would like to announce the following union leaders were recently re-elected as Officers of the WFNHP Local 5000 Executive Board for a term of office beginning July 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2027. Notice was sent to all dues paying members via newsletter and email on April 29, 2026 asking for nominations to fill the 7 Officer positions that make up our Executive Board. All current Officers ran for re-election (except for the Recording Secretary position). Nadezhda Young, former Board Alternate for St. Francis, was appointed to the Secretary position by President Smith and the Executive Board at the June Executive Board Meeting. Since all candidates ran unopposed, according to our union's constitution and bylaws, these individuals were automatically elected after review by the Election Committee, and without the need for a secret ballot vote by the membership, which had been scheduled for June 7, 2026 at the Local 5000 Membership Meeting. Congratulations to the following Officers on your re-election:
PRESIDENT: Connie Smith (Ascension-St. Francis Serv/Tech)
EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT: Barb Pomasl (Non Bargaining Unit)
SECRETARY: Nadezhda Young (Non Bargaining Unit) *appointed 6/26
TREASURER: John Epple (Non Bargaining Unit)
VP-at-Large: Louie Borda (Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories)
VP-at-Large: Mary Milton (Non Bargaining Unit)
VP-at-Large: Gavin Rice (Ascension-St. Francis Serv/Tech)
Nomination and election of the following delegates were also in order for Delegates to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) 2026 Convention, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO 2026 Convention, and Milwaukee Area Labor Council (2026-2027). Once again, all candidates ran unopposed and according to our union's constitution and bylaws, these individuals were automatically elected after review by the Election Committee, and without the need for a secret ballot vote by the membership, which was scheduled for June 7, 2026 at the Local 5000 Membership Meeting. Congratulations to the following Delegates on your election/re-election. (All 7 current WFNHP delegates to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council Delegates ran for another two-year term.)
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) 2026 Convention Delegates (5 to be elected):
- Connie Smith (Ascension-St. Francis) *automatic delegate
- Bethany McMahon (Aurora Burlington)
- April Menke (Ascension-St. Francis)
- Gavin Rice (Ascension-St. Francis)
- Dawn Van Buren (VA)
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO 2026 Convention Delegates (3 to be elected):
- Connie Smith (Ascension-St. Francis) *automatic delegate
- Mary Milton (Non Bargaining Unit)
- Gavin Rice (Ascension-St. Francis)
Milwaukee Area Labor Council Delegates (2026-2027) (10 to be elected):
- Stephanie Bloomingdale (Non Bargaining Unit)
- Piper Hogan (WDL)
- Rhen Lutz (Non Bargaining Unit)
- Mary Milton (Non Bargaining Unit)
- Gavin Rice (Ascension St. Francis)
- Tracey Schwerdtfeger (Non Bargaining Unit)
- Nadezhda Young (Non Bargaining Unit)