Staff
Executive Director
Deborah Herman, PhD
556-6861
Deborah Herman received a B.A. and M.A. in Spanish language and translation from the University of Northern Iowa, and completed an interdisciplinary doctorate at the University of Iowa focused on the underlying racial, ethnic, and labor politics of foreign language education in the United States. In addition to teaching Spanish language courses at the University of Iowa, she was an instructor and graduate researcher at the University of Iowa Labor Center.
While in Iowa City, Deborah was elected secretary and then president of U.E. Local 896 - COGS, a graduate employee bargaining unit of 2,400. She subsequently worked for the TAA (AFT Local 3220) as contract enforcement and organizing staff before moving to Cincinnati in 2005 to join the AAUP - UC Chapter as its executive director.
Business Administrator
Anne Feldman, B.A.
556-6861
Anne is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1986 with a B.A. in English Literature.
She was employed at the University of Cincinnati from 1986 until 1999 in the Facillities Management and A&S/Mathematical Sciences Departments. In November, 1999, she joined the staff at the UC AAUP as an Administrative Assistant. Anne handles the day-to-day business operations of the chapter, including website and communications functions, database maintenance and analysis, payroll and finance, as well as interface with various UC offices.
Director, Contract Administration
Stephanie Spanja, J.D.
556-6862
Stephanie graduated from Rutgers University in 1989 with a B.A. in English Literature, and earned an M.A. in English Literature at the University of California-Davis in 1994. After graduating from Fordham Law School with a J.D. in 1999, Stephanie entered private practice for several years. In 2004, Stephanie became Staff Attorney for Teamsters Local 1224 in Wilmington, Ohio, where she was employed until she joined the UC Chapter AAUP as Director, Contract Administration in June 2008.
Stephanie responds to faculty members’ questions about the contract and assists faculty in attempting to resolve contractual disputes, whether informally or through the grievance process. In addition, Stephanie works to keep members informed about their contractual rights through publications and workshops.
Director, Contract Administration
Eric Palmer, J.D.
556-5906
Eric is a graduate of Elon University and of the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He has a diverse background in labor, student, and community organizing, nonprofit management, and law. After graduating from law school, he served as a clerk for New York State Supreme Court Justice Elliott Wilk.
Eric has worked as a representative for the Service Employees International Union and the United Electrical Workers Union, as Executive Director of the Council on International & Public Affairs in New York City, and as Research and Campaign Strategy Director for Northeast Action. Eric comes to the UC Chapter after four years as a staff attorney with Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, where he represented low-income clients in housing and consumer cases.
Eric's work with the AAUP - UC Chapter includes responding to faculty members' questions about the contract, advising and assisting faculty members with possible grievance cases, and media and communications outreach.
Consultant
Dave Rubin, PhD
556-6864
Dave has BS (Cornell) and MA (Indiana State) degrees in Vertebrate Zoology, and received the first PhD (Ecology and Systematics) given by Indiana State. His specialty is herpetology. He is Emeritus Professor of Biology at Central State University (OH) from which he retired in 1995 after 25+ years on the faculty.
Dave was the UC Chapter's Executive Director from 1996 to 2005; then part-time Director of Contract Administration until his retirement at the end of 2010. He was our Chief Negotiator in 2004, 2007, and 2010, and continues to serve as consultant for the UC Chapter.
Dave has had extensive involvement with the AAUP at local, state, and national levels since 1975. He has been a member of the Ohio Conference AAUP Board of Trustees since 1978.