Contact Us
1201 Western Road
Elborn College, Room 2120
London, Ontario N6G 1H1
519-661-3016
uwofa@uwo.ca
About Nigmendra Narain
Since 2000, Nigmendra has been a Lecturer in Political Science teaching first-year students and courses in International Relations, and TV & Politics. He is a Londoner of 30+ years, and his three dogs keep him grounded and active. He has been involved with UWOFA in various capacities and roles, and enjoys the opportunity to work with so many wonderful colleagues and staff to support UWOFA members.
UWOFA Staff
Staff members are currently working from home during the coronavirus pandemic and can be reached via email.
About Cindy Cossar-Jones
Cindy became UWOFA’s Professional Officer in 2010 after spending 19 years with the City of London. Whilst at the city, I held various positions within the Ontario Works division and within the union.
As UWOFA's Professional Officer, I use my years of union knowledge and experience to assist UWOFA members and to support the activities of various committees: Grievance, Joint Committee, Negotiations, Policy and Governance, Librarians & Archivists Stewards Committee, and the Faculty Representatives Council.
About Vanessa Frank
Vanessa Frank joined the staff at UWOFA in 2013. In her role as communications officer, Vanessa supports UWOFA’s efforts in the following areas: media relations, political action/mobilization, and she is co-editor of Faculty Times. She also works closely with UWOFA’s Communications Committee, Faculty Representatives Council, the Committee for Contract Faculty, and the Equity Committee.
About Jane Laforge
Jane Laforge began working for UWOFA in 1997 as a part-time administrative assistant but was soon promoted to her current position of administrative officer. Jane's main responsibility is the overall management and the operation of the UWOFA office. She works closely with members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors by serving as the Association's recording secretary. She also provides support to the Nominating Committee and the Policy and Governance Committee.
About Conan Masterson
As the Administrative Assistant for UWOFA, Conan is the main point of contact for members, assists Board members and staff, and helps keep the office running smoothly. Before joining the UWOFA team, she worked for 10 years with PSAC Local 610, the Teaching Assistants and Postdoc Union at Western. She is experienced working with a diverse group of members in an ever-shifting environment and is understanding of the inner workings of academic unions and the workplace.
About Lina Rodriguez
I have worked in the area of employee and labour relations since 2013. I started working at UWOFA in September 2015 as an Operational Support Officer and I was promoted to Member Services Officer in June 2017. Prior to coming to UWOFA, I worked as a recruiter at St. Joseph's Health Care London for two years.
As UWOFA's Member Services Officer, I support and advise members who have questions about the Collective Agreements and other employment matters. I also work closely with the Grievance Committee, the Librarians and Archivists Stewards Committee, and the Faculty Representatives Council. As well, I manage databases related to grievances and the work of Joint Committee. During bargaining, I am a member of the Strike Action Committee.