Member Led Future: For Members By Members
We are a ticket committed to accountable leadership, transparent decision-making, and a union that is our union!
Our Vision
Our vision for SEIU is a member led, member run union that is accountable to its members, and responsive to their needs. We believe that SEIU is at its best when it listens to the voices of its members and responds quickly. Your union should be by members, for members. The Member-Led Future candidates believe that your dues are our duty. When elected, we will ensure that union expenses are responsible, sustainable, and put workers first.
A vote for the Member-Led Future is a vote for a proactive SEIU that puts union power back in the hands of workers.
Meet the ticket
Denise Piza
Makensi Fletes
Makensi Fletes
Candidate for Executive Director
My name is Denise Piza, and I am running for Executive Director of SEIU Local 503 because our union needs steady leadership with the experience and capacity to lead a large, complex, and statewide organization with accountability, transparency, and trust.
I bring years of experience in governance, organiz
Candidate for Executive Director
My name is Denise Piza, and I am running for Executive Director of SEIU Local 503 because our union needs steady leadership with the experience and capacity to lead a large, complex, and statewide organization with accountability, transparency, and trust.
I bring years of experience in governance, organizational leadership, and public service, alongside my work as an elected union officer. In my current role as a program lead, I manage complex work that requires coordination, strategic decision-making, and responsible stewardship of resources. I also work closely with legislative processes, building relationships and navigating policy spaces that are critical to advancing and protecting workers’ rights. This combination of experience has prepared me to lead across a union with multiple sectors and coalitions, where coordination, accountability, and clear leadership are critical.
My leadership is shaped by working within and across systems, building trust with diverse communities, and holding institutions accountable. I have also led equity-focused work that required facilitating difficult conversations, challenging systems, and creating space for people to engage honestly and meaningfully.
I have worked alongside members across worksites and regions to enforce our contract, navigate investigations, and address workplace harm when it appears. I have represented workers through grievance and fact-finding processes, helped recover unpaid wages, and stood with members to hold bullying managers accountable.
As Executive Director, I will ensure our union remains focused on member priorities while strengthening the systems that support our work statewide. My leadership centers on clear communication, strong coordination across locals and sublocals, and creating the conditions for members to organize, advocate, and lead. I am committed to stewarding our union’s resources responsibly and ensuring decisions are made with the membership.
Makensi Fletes
Makensi Fletes
Makensi Fletes
Candidate for President
My name is Makensi Fletes, and I am running for Union President because our
members deserve a union that is transparent, accountable, and truly member-led.
I am a proud State Worker in the Oregon Eligibility Partnership, and I have served the
people of Oregon for nearly 13 years. I became a union steward early in my
Candidate for President
My name is Makensi Fletes, and I am running for Union President because our
members deserve a union that is transparent, accountable, and truly member-led.
I am a proud State Worker in the Oregon Eligibility Partnership, and I have served the
people of Oregon for nearly 13 years. I became a union steward early in my career after
experiencing issues in my workplace and feeling deeply dissatisfied with the support I
received. Instead of accepting that, I made it my mission to understand our contract,
learn our rights and become actively involved in our union. That decision shaped the
advocate I am today.
I moved to Oregon almost 20 years ago from Southern California. I am married, with
three wonderful sons and three grandsons who inspire me every day. I come from a
difficult background that taught me resilience, courage, and the importance of standing
up for what is right. I was born in the hometown of Emiliano Zapata, and from a young
age I understood a truth that has guided my entire life: power can corrupt, and it is
our responsibility to hold those in power accountable to the people they serve.
For too long, our union has been guided by the same leadership circle, producing the
same outcomes: barriers to participation, limited transparency, and a culture where
questioning decisions is discouraged. When statewide systems were updated —
whether Workday, ONE, FRANCES, or PTC — and those systems failed, members
across every coalition experienced the same pattern. Instead of timely advocacy,
workers were met with delayed representation and delayed demands for correction.
Members were left confused by decisions they did not feel included in. Too often, it has
felt as though disengagement has become an acceptable — or even convenient —
outcome. That is not the union our members deserve.
Our union has become reactive in the same way management is reactive. We wait. We
hope issues resolve themselves. We rely almost entirely on addressing concerns at the
lowest level, even when management ignores us or refuses to engage. Management
behaves this way because they know we rarely escalate. They know we will not hold
them accountable. That must change!
Our legal department must be empowered — and expected — to file Unfair Labor
Practices when necessary, sending a clear message that violations of our contract and
disrespect toward our members will not be tolerated. We need a proactive union that
demands timely corrections the moment issues arise, especially when those issues
stem from management driven system changes.
We must also confront a deeper structural issue: leadership transitions within our union
are often predetermined behind closed doors. As one Executive Director or President
steps down, the next is frequently selected long before members have a meaningful
opportunity to participate. This creates only the appearance of a democratic process,
not the reality. Our members deserve open elections, genuine choices, and leadership
that is accountable to them — not chosen for them.
I am not running alone. I am running with a team of union siblings who share these
beliefs in transparency, accountability, and true member power. Together, we are
building a slate that represents all 26 counties in Oregon, not just the Portland Metro
area. Our team includes members from different coalitions, different communities, and
across the full spectrum of political affiliations — because a union should reflect the
diversity of the workers it serves.
We are united by one principle: every member deserves a voice, and every member
deserves respect.
This union belongs to its members.
Not to a select few.
Not to those who fear transparency.
Not to those who place control above representation.
I am running to return power to the membership, rebuild trust, and create a culture
where every worker is respected, heard, and valued. I believe in a union where
questions are welcomed, accountability is expected, and leadership stands
shoulder to shoulder with the people it represents.
We deserve a union that fights for us.
We deserve a union that reflects our values.
We deserve a union that belongs to its members — all of them.
I am ready to lead that change, and I respectfully ask for your support.
Lisa Finkle
Makensi Fletes
Hortensia Blanco
Candidate for Vice President-State
My name is Lisa Finkle, and I am running for Vice President of SEIU 503 because I believe deeply in the power of a strong, united membership. Our union is only as strong as the people who make it up, and without active, engaged members, we cannot fully support one another or enforce the contract we all
Candidate for Vice President-State
My name is Lisa Finkle, and I am running for Vice President of SEIU 503 because I believe deeply in the power of a strong, united membership. Our union is only as strong as the people who make it up, and without active, engaged members, we cannot fully support one another or enforce the contract we all rely on.
I currently serve as the Chief Steward of Local 219, a role that has given me firsthand experience with the challenges our members face and the importance of strong representation. I have assisted stewards with cases, volunteered for arbitration screening, completed the required training, and served as the grievant representative during the screening process. Going through my first arbitration taught me something important: not every case is predictable, and not every outcome will be a win. But even in a loss, standing firm in our contract and fighting for fairness is exactly where I want to be.
That experience strengthened my commitment to this work. I want to continue enforcing our contract, supporting our stewards, and building a union where every member feels seen, protected, and empowered. And I believe that growing our membership is the key to achieving all of that. More members mean more strength at the bargaining table, more resources for representation, and more collective power to defend our rights.
I am running for Vice President because I want to help build a stronger, more unified SEIU 503—one where every member knows their voice matters and their union stands with them. Together, we can continue to grow, protect our contract, and support one another the way a union should.
Hortensia Blanco
Max Ragozzino, PhD.
Hortensia Blanco
Vice President-Home Care Workers
Hello sisters, brothers, and fellow Home Care Workers,
My name is Hortensia Blanco V., and I am a proud home care worker. I have been doing this work since 2001.
For more than two decades, I have shown up every day to care for others. Like so many of you, I know what this work truly means.
Home care workers
Vice President-Home Care Workers
Hello sisters, brothers, and fellow Home Care Workers,
My name is Hortensia Blanco V., and I am a proud home care worker. I have been doing this work since 2001.
For more than two decades, I have shown up every day to care for others. Like so many of you, I know what this work truly means.
Home care workers do more than a job.
We support independence.
We provide dignity.
We are there for people during the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
But we also know the reality of this work.
We know the physical demands.
We know the emotional weight of caring for others.
And we know that home care workers deserve respect, recognition, and strong representation.
Our union must always stand firmly for the workers who make this system possible.
That means continuing to fight for:
• Fair wages
• Strong benefits
• Better working conditions
• A strong voice for every home care worker
I am also deeply committed to our communities. As an immigrant rights advocate, I believe our union must continue to stand for dignity, justice, and inclusion for all workers.
I am not running for this position for recognition or a title.
I am running because I believe in service, accountability, and leadership that listens.
True leadership means standing with workers — not above them.
If elected as Vice President for Home Care Workers, I will work every day to ensure that the voices of home care workers are heard, respected, and represented.
Because our union is strongest when workers lead the way.
Thank you for your support.
Max Ragozzino, PhD.
Max Ragozzino, PhD.
Max Ragozzino, PhD.
Candidate for Treasurer
My name is Max Ragozzino, PhD, and I am running to serve as your SEIU 503 Treasurer because a member-led union must operate with transparency, accountability, and a clear commitment to putting members first.
In my role at the Department of Agriculture, I have led projects with significant budgets and managed gran
Candidate for Treasurer
My name is Max Ragozzino, PhD, and I am running to serve as your SEIU 503 Treasurer because a member-led union must operate with transparency, accountability, and a clear commitment to putting members first.
In my role at the Department of Agriculture, I have led projects with significant budgets and managed grants, complex financial systems, and large datasets. This experience has prepared me to help oversee our union’s finances responsibly and effectively, with the level of coordination and attention required in a statewide organization.
As Treasurer, I will work to ensure that member dues are managed with care, transparency, and accountability. Our resources should strengthen the union, support members across worksites, and reflect the priorities set by the membership. I am committed to maintaining clear financial practices and ensuring members can trust how decisions are made.