Solidarity Team

My name is William Deware, RT (R)(CT), and with 20 years of experience at RIH, I am running for President of UNAP Local 5098. Working at RIH has provided some of the most rewarding and remarkable patient-centered experiences of my life. Because we serve the state's only level 1 trauma hospital, the work we do is inherently complex and unique, and I truly wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

I have seen firsthand what a united and strong membership is capable of achieving. Helping to lead our union during our strike and seeing the community rally around us was awe-inspiring; unfortunately, I have also seen the downside of a fractured workforce.

While I have seen what happens when our workforce is divided, I know what we can achieve when we stand together, and making that unity a reality is my main mission. As your President, I promise to make membership involvement and engagement a top priority. By building this "ground game," we can effectively fight for our rights during contract negotiations. This effort requires all of us, and I hope to prove my commitment by running with a slate of candidates who agree that we must be active, responsive, reliable, and respectful. This is how we will strengthen our union, win at the bargaining table, and make RIH the workplace we know it can be.

In my current role as Treasurer, my priority has been building proactive strength—from investing in Treasury bonds to establishing a defense fund that ensures we have the resources to support our members when management pushes back. This foundational strength has been my guiding principle for three terms, and I want to apply that same discipline to membership building. Ultimately, building our membership is building our union.

So I ask you to give us all a chance. Sign up for our Discord server where everyone’s voice can be heard, not shut off or shut down. All our voices must be heard for us to move forward. And it will be through the Discord where you can ask us questions, talk amongst yourselves and sign up to help with the campaign if you are so inclined! But if Discord isn’t your thing feel free to reach out to anyone on the slate to volunteer or maybe run for one of the few remaining seats left.

In Solidarity,
William Deware aka Bill :)

My name is Mike I have been a nurse for 16 years, with the past 7 years spent at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in the Emergency Department. I have also worked for 2 years on LifePACT, giving me a broad understanding of the challenges nurses face in high-acuity, high-pressure environments.

I am running for Union Secretary because I believe it is going to take a strong, organized group of like-minded individuals to fight back against the hospital and push for what we deserve. Members need better communication, better access to resources, and a more efficient way to document concerns. I believe we need a better app and a better system for filing grievances, reporting unsafe staffing, and tracking the issues that directly affect our practice and patient safety.

My goal is to help move these processes online so they are easier to access, easier to use, and harder to ignore. I want to be part of a union leadership team that is transparent, responsive, and willing to push for real change for the membership at Hasbro and RIH.

I’m running for Union Treasurer because I believe our members deserve transparency, accountability, and leadership that puts union members and frontline staff first. I have been a nurse at Rhode Island Hospital since 2020 and have served as Vice President at Large for our union since 2023. During that time, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for union resources to be managed responsibly and communicated clearly to the membership.

I also believe we need leadership willing to hold Brown University Health accountable for decisions that weaken our bargaining power and directly impact our members. The recent reduction of per diem positions while continuing to rely heavily on travel nurses, along with the mandating of 12-hour shifts, has affected staffing stability, reduced overtime opportunities for union members, and diluted the strength of our workforce. Our union leadership must be willing to challenge these decisions, advocate aggressively for our members, and protect opportunities for the staff already committed to this hospital system and our patients.

As Treasurer, I would be committed to financial transparency, strong communication, and ensuring our union resources are used to strengthen member advocacy and engagement. I want to help build a stronger, more united union where members feel informed, heard, and confident that their dues are supporting meaningful action and real representation.

My name is Kate Bourgoin, RN, and I’ve been proud to work at Rhode Island Hospital since 2003. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to care for patients across many roles—from being a travel nurse in the Jane Brown, to over a decade in the TICU, and most recently a few years on the STAT team. These experiences have given me a broad perspective on the challenges and strengths within our membership community.

What matters most to me is how we support one another as colleagues and as union members. I believe every member deserves to feel heard, respected, and included in the conversations that affect our work and our patients. There is always room to strengthen communication and create more space for open, constructive dialogue. I feel this slate collectively has the drive and passion to engage the membership and create a unified environment in all aspects of our organization.

I am running because I want to help build a culture of transparency, collaboration, and meaningful member involvement—where people feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and being part of the process. I believe we are strongest when we listen to one another and work together, and I am committed to helping create a union that truly reflects and supports all of us.

My name is Portia, and I am running for the At-Large position for our union. I have been at Rhode Island Hospital for the past two years, starting in IV therapy and now working as a SAFE nurse. Before joining RIH, I worked as a travel nurse, which gave me the opportunity to see how different hospitals operate and how strong nursing advocacy can positively impact staff and patient care.

Those experiences helped shape my passion for improving workplace culture, supporting nurses and staff, and bringing more diversity and inclusion to union leadership. I believe every nurse and every member deserves to feel heard, valued, and represented. I am committed to advocating for staff retention, professional growth, collaboration, and creating positive change for both nurses and our patients.

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Representing UNAP members for the past decade and a half has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Standing watch over the rights of our members has not always been easy, but it has always been worth it. Throughout the years, I have never hesitated to put my career, reputation, and voice on the line in defense of our membership, and I intend to continue doing so for as long as I am able. While this work is sometimes complicated, I have no regrets. I am deeply grateful for the trust, encouragement, and unwavering support I have received from the membership over the years. I am truly blessed to be part of UNAP local 5098!

My name is Linda Velasquez, and I have proudly served as a Respiratory Therapist and ECMO Specialist at Rhode Island Hospital for over 24 years. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to providing high-quality patient care while supporting the growth and success of our department. Working alongside such a talented team has given me valuable insight into the challenges, needs, and opportunities that impact our profession every day.

I am running for VP because I believe it is important for the Respiratory Therapy and ECMO staff to have a strong voice and representation. I am passionate about advocating for our department, addressing concerns, promoting improvements, and ensuring that the perspectives of our team are heard and valued. I would be honored to represent my colleagues and work collaboratively to support the continued success of our department and the exceptional care we provide to our patients.[cite: 1]

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My name is Steffanie Tighe-Scholz, and I am a Mental Health Worker on Jane Brown 4 South. I am running for UNAP VP because I firmly believe that we are stronger when we stand together. It is time to bring fresh perspectives to our union leadership and ensure that the establishment faces are truly working for us. I am running to champion: Accountability (Ensuring leadership is answerable to the people they represent), Real Change (Breaking out of old habits to build a more proactive union), and Active Listening (Putting the membership first and prioritizing the issues that actually matter to you on the floor). Our union should be a reflection of its members. I am ready to listen, ready to act, and ready to be your voice. Let’s bring accountability and change to UNAP, together.[cite: 1]

I’ve worked in the Hasbro ER for 7 years, where I started as a new grad. There’s always been misconceptions and confusion around “fact and fiction” when it comes to union rules, at least on my unit. Confusion with what the hospital says/does or how to interpret the union book. I’ve always been the type of person to learn as much as I can about a topic, to become a “mini pro”. In my unit I slowly became the person everyone came to for union questions. So I figure it was time to step up a little further and join as a board member. I’d like to be the person that coworkers can come to with questions about the union. To ensure the contract is upheld by management, to make sure we are all treated fairly, and support my coworkers any concerns they may have. And hopefully improve work conditions and create a better work life balance for all union members.[cite: 1]

I began my nursing career at Rhode Island Hospital in 2021, working on Main 7, Neuro med-surg unit. I currently serve in the float pool, where I have had the opportunity to work alongside staff throughout the hospital and witness firsthand the challenges faced by UNAP members every day.

Over the past several years, many of you have shared concerns about feeling unheard. I believe our union should be a stronger voice for its members, and I am committed to helping rebuild trust, dignity, and respect within our workplace.

My goals include improving the advocating for meaningful retention programs and pushing for safer working conditions with a stronger focus on workplace violence prevention. If given the opportunity to represent you, I will work hard to advocate for all UNAP members and ensure your voices are heard.

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