Candidates are responsible for the accuracy of information in their candidate statements and in any other material they produce in support of their candidacies. UC is not responsible for the accuracy, nor does it endorse the content, of any information provided by the candidates.
Michael A. Fehr
Computer Resource Specialist, UCLA
In life there are few guarantees. This is why our pension is one of the most valuable benefits of being a UC employee. When we retire, our pension will provide consistent, guaranteed income for ourselves and our dependents for the rest of our lives. How many of your retirement investments can make the same claim?
Since the University began discussing the restart of pension contributions 10 years ago, I have participated with members of the University community to preserve our pension benefits and keep contributions affordable. I have attended a number of UC Retirement System Advisory Board public meetings and offered comments. I have gained familiarity with the pension and with UCRS, and I would enjoy representing staff on the Board.
Craig R. Harmelin
Assistant Director, Study Abroad, UC Merced
Over the past 10 years at UCSB and now at UC Merced, I have coached and mentored multiple colleagues to better understand their UCRS benefits and to take an active role in investing on their own. Now I wish to serve my colleagues in an official capacity on the UCRS Advisory Board and advocate on their behalf.
My goals for my time on the UCRS Advisory Board include defending the best features of our pension, advocating for better post-employment benefits, identifying and developing tools to help UC staff and faculty take a more active role in their retirement planning, making information on UCRS more readily available, and campaigning for better options during a time of increased uncertainty around UC pensions.
Naomi Nakamura
Pharmacy Technician 2, UCSF Medical Center
My name is Naomi Nakamura and I’ve been a Pharmacy Technician II at UCSF Medical Center for four years. I am a proud member of AFSCME Local 3299, the union representing 22,000 service and patient care technical workers throughout UC. I believe I would bring an important perspective to the UCRS Advisory Board as 1) a UC employee on the “union” modified pension tier negotiated in 2013-14 by CNA, UPTE and AFSCME that maintained the same retirement age requirements as the 1976 pension tier, particularly important for workers in physically demanding jobs, and 2) as a UC worker employed at a UC medical center, where the threat to replace UC’s defined benefit plan with a 401(k) plan remains.
Aman K. Parikh
Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor, UC Davis Medical Center
Working at UC for 11 years, I have seen how important retirement benefits are to all of us and how critical they are to ensuring we continue to have a robust UC community.
Since helping to develop our department’s first compensation plan, I have become well versed in the details of our benefits and have advised numerous colleagues about them. From discussions with many of my coworkers, including nurses, physicians, office staff and security officers, I have learned that, even though we have different jobs and responsibilities, we share the same concerns regarding our retirement benefits. If elected, I would work tirelessly to preserve the benefits we have worked so hard for and to ensure the University contributes its fair share.
Shirleyrae Reed
Research Administrator, UC Berkeley
It is time to pay attention! With numerous changes that take place on our campuses, I want to be a part of something where I can make a difference not just for my self but for all employees at our universities. The uncertainty of losing more retirement benefits is forever in our road ahead. Representing the university employees as well as myself, I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen. We work too hard not to have the best.
Brian A. Ross
Senior Educational Facilities Planner, UC Office of the President
I am an informed investor who believes that our investment options in the 403(b), 457(b) and DC Plans should include low-cost, diverse index funds that provide an informative prospectus. My concerns with our current investment options are as follows: elimination of the low-cost Fidelity Spartan funds (effective July 2, 2015), the constant change in allocation strategy for the UC Pathway funds, an incomplete prospectus for all UC funds, and the absence of dividends in all UC funds. My role on the UCRS Advisory Board would be to ensure that the best investment options are available to my fellow colleagues.