UIC GEO Steering Committee

The GEO Steering Committee is elected each Spring by GEO members. The Steering Committee members volunteer their time to help improve the working conditions of graduate employees at UIC. 

Marty Heath (they/them)

Co-President

Marty is a 4th year PhD student in the Communication department. Marty enjoys baking, retellings of Greek mythology, and analyzing the representation of gender, sexuality, and (dis)ability in narrative media.  They’re always down to talk about musicals or GEO’s new contract. 

Jennifer Vaccaro (she/her)

Co-President

Jenny is a 4th year Math PhD candidate studying hyperbolic geometry. She enjoys reality TV, and hates getting no for an answer.

Nick Christo (he/him)

Treasurer

Nick is a 4th year Math PhD candidate. Nick was born in Chicago Heights, IL, and is a frequent enjoyer of hotdogs, boards games, and the Bean. 

Ronan Rock (they/them)

Secretary

While they may or may not be 17 praying mantises inside a human suit, Ronan is definitely the union secretary and a 4th year in the Curriculum & Instruction PhD program. They come from a long line of labor organizers and community activists. They passionately believe that unions are a powerful tool for social change. 

Bethany Austhof (she/they)

Grievance Chair

Bethany is a fourth year PhD candidate in Mathematics. They study Machine Learning with an interest in Combinatorics. As Grievance Chair, their mission is to fight to protect worker rights through procedural and organizational efforts. Outside of School Bethany has an interest in wood burning, mixed media art, and wearables.

Javin D'Souza (they/he)

Chief Steward

Although they are beginning their Ph.D. in Disability Studies in Fall 2023, Javin has been a proud member of GEO for two years while being a higher education administration GA (unironically...). With a background in culture work and event planning, they strive to empower and unify community members as Chief Steward.

Erik Elshire (he/him)

Organizing Chair

Erik came to UIC as a former high school English teacher who had some questions about schooling in America. He's currently thinking with school abolitionists. He spent eight years of my last ten in New Orleans but is originally from Oregon. He loves dungeons and dragons, pickup basketball, and people power. He hopes to build a stronger, more diverse, and joyously vibrant membership in GEO that lasts beyond his time here.

Sian Roberts (she/her)

Communications Chair

coming soon!