Nominations and elections for 16 members (eight categories) of the Elected Human Relations Committee (EHRC) were held January 20-21 during the Affiliate Leadership Training Summit and Human Relations Conference.
Results of the contested elections are as follows:
African American/Black
Nick Felton, New Orleans, LA Local 632
Sherwood Smith, Kansas City, MO Local 42
Female
Audrey Owczarzak, Newport, KY Local 45
Barbara Sellers, Shreveport, LA Local 514
Hispanic/Latino
Richard Gomez, Houston, TX Local 341
Carlos Pacheco, Kansas City, KS Local 64
The following candidates were elected by acclamation:
Caucasian/White
Tom Donovan, Cincinnati, OH Local 48
Dabney Hudson, Washington, DC Local 36
Disabled/Handicapped
William Silva, Fort Louis, WA Local F-283
Barry Stafford, Boston, MA Local 718
LGBTQ
Kevin Burkhart, United Emergency Medical Professionals of Arizona Local I-60
Cristian G. Cruz, Albuquerque, NM Local 244
Other Than Already Represented
David Bautista, Orange County, Local 3631
Anita Paratley, San Francisco, CA Local 798
Veteran
Roy Mokosso, St. Paul, MN Local 21
Jorge Pena, Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York Local 94
All EHRC members elected will begin their four-year term at the conclusion of the conference.
The Elected Human Relations Committee consists of 18 members nominated and elected every four years – 16 at the corresponding Affiliate Leadership Training Summit/Human Relations Conference (ALTS/HRC) and two Canadian representatives elected at the 2021 Canadian Policy Conference in Burnaby, British Columbia.
The Elected Human Relations Committee was established in 1988 following a resolution passed during the 39th IAFF Convention calling for a standing committee of IAFF members charged with improving relationships and establishing greater unity among fire fighters.
The Elected Human Relations Committee, which meets formally twice a year, makes policy recommendations regarding civil rights, minority issues, accommodation and other matters, and provides counsel to affiliates facing specific human relations issues.
Further details on the IAFF Elected Human Relations Committee is here.
