Meet the UWSA staff

Thursday, April 20, 2023

A message from the UWSA president.

I want to take a moment of your time to note some recent changes to the UWSA staff team. Catherine Bolger was in the role of Communications and Administrative Assistant for the past several years. Catherine’s last day at the Association was last week and I’d like to thank her for her amazing work and contributions to the UWSA and wish her all the best!

We welcomed two new staff members last month:

Carly Richardson, membership and volunteer coordinator. Carly is your go-to person for information about your membership, getting involved with the UWSA, discount programs, and social events.
Laura McDonald, communications officer. Laura will be managing our website, member communications, and UWSA records and information in general.

We are very excited to have both Laura and Carly joining our ongoing work to grow and professionalize the Staff Association. You will notice changes in our communication and membership initiatives over the coming months, as well as opportunities to help shape those changes and I look forward to hearing your input!

Rounding out the UWSA Operations Team are:

Gail Spencer, executive manager. Gail’s main role is to support members like you with confidential work-related advice and help you navigate UW policies and employment processes. You can contact her at gspencer@uwaterloo.ca if you ever need assistance.
Me, Agata Jagielska. As the current UWSA president, I am thrilled to be working alongside the operations team and board of directors while representing and serving our members. I truly appreciate and value your input and invite you to get in touch with me at any time.
Yessenia Guerrero, president-elect, also helps with member support and advocacy.

If you aren’t familiar with the services the UWSA offers you, here’s a quick run-down:

Employment relations: Our elected board of directors and full-time president work closely with the University administration to improve working conditions and protect staff rights. One way in which we do this is by serving on the Staff Relations Committee.
Staff advocacy: A full-time UWSA advocate provides confidential support and assistance to all UWSA members.
Professional development opportunities: Members are eligible to serve on University level and UWSA committees which support and represent all staff.
Grants and awards: Monetary rewards are available to UWSA members and their dependents.
Discounts and corporate memberships: UWSA members are eligible for discounts at a wide range of businesses.
Social events: Regular events provide an opportunity to connect with one another outside of work.