New AAUP Staff

The AAUP has welcomed six new staff members during the last few months.

Ziyan Bai, research assistant, focuses primarily on the Faculty Compensation Survey. Ziyan received her PhD in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington, where she also worked for more than seven years developing, assessing, and evaluating educa­tional programs.

Kelly Benjamin, media and communications strategist, man­ages media relations and social media at the national level and supports chapters in these areas. He brings to the role more than ten years of experience as an organizer and communicator on national campaigns in the labor movement.

Stephanie Hamilton, govern­ment relations specialist, works with chapters on state-level government relations programs, focusing this year on legislation that seeks to restrict teaching about race and racism. She brings to the position more than a decade of political advocacy experience with the American Federation of Teachers and other organizations.

Torya McGee, event planner, comes to the AAUP with ten years of meeting and conference experi­ence in the government contracting and association sectors. She will bring her creativity to planning the biennial meeting and annual Sum­mer Institute, among other events.

Latibe Seidou, program coordinator in the Department of Organizing and Services, sup­ports the national organizing and services program, helps to plan the Summer Institute, and assists members who are forming AAUP chapters. She has significant experi­ence working for nonprofits and is passionate about social justice.

Edward (Eddie) Swidriski, assistant counsel in the legal department, focuses on amicus briefs, legal and legislative devel­opments, and legal outreach. He previously clerked for two federal judges and was an attorney at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), where he argued cases in court and wrote the NLRB general counsel’s brief supporting the right of graduate student assistants to organize in the Columbia University case.