The Universities’ Bargaining Team includes the following individuals, in alphabetical order of the university they represent: Chris McLaughlin (EOU), Sandi Hanan (OIT), Scott Southard (OSU), Terrill Bartee (PSU), Alana Lardizabal (SOU), Chris Meade (UO), Desiree Noah (WOU), Huck Koester (Universities’ Notetaker), and Brian Caufield (USSE).
The Director of Bargaining Communications for the Universities’ Bargaining Team is Steven Clark. All media inquiries related to the Oregon Public Universities’ negotiations with SEIU should be directed to Mr. Clark at steve.clark@oregonstate.edu or via telephone at (503) 502-8217.
For more information on your University’s human resources, please click: Eastern Oregon University, Oregon Tech, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, or University of Oregon.
For more information on your University’s budget, please click: Eastern Oregon University, Oregon Tech, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, or University of Oregon.
Chris McLaughlin joined Eastern Oregon University in May, 2016 as Director of Human Resources.
Chris has more than 30 years of professional human resources expertise in senior HR leadership and consulting roles for large and small organizations in multiple industries over the course of his career. Chris has broad skills as an HR generalist with particular expertise in HR management, talent development, group facilitation, employee relations, and risk management. Chris’ labor relations experience began earlier in his career with the negotiations of labor contracts at sawmills and within the logging and transportation industries. Chris’ leadership at previous employers also has included earning the Governor’s Large Employer State Safety Award and State of Oregon recognition for outstanding return-to-work programs for employees injured outside of work.
Chris earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Forestry from Humboldt State University (California) and a Master’s of Business Administration in Forest Industries Management from the University of Oregon .
Prior to joining Eastern Oregon University, Chris resided in Atlanta GA for nine years and in Oregon for 25 years including in Eugene, John Day, Bend and Portland.
Sandi Hannan joined the Oregon Tech in 2008 as the HR Coordinator. She has experience in tribal government and private industry marketing and customer service. Sandi is currently serving as the Associate Director for the Office of Human Resources. Major responsibilities include SEIU Labor Relations, HR data systems and analytics, and HR operations.
Sandi is a graduate of Oregon Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology, emphasis in Organizational Development. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling and spending time with the family.
Scott Southard is a Senior Employee & Labor Relations (ELR) Officer within the Office of University Human Resources at OSU. Previously he spent 18+ years in a variety of management, HR, and Labor Relation roles while working for Georgia-Pacific and 20 years as a career officer in the US Navy submarine force.
Scott holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, a MA in Organizational Management, and has more recently worked towards a doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Outside of work, he enjoys fixing, building, and making things; exploring Oregon’s vast outdoors; and working with his wife on producing documentary films and community theater plays.
Terrill Bartee joined Portland State University in 2000 as a front desk Human Resource support representative and now serves as the Director of Classification and Compensation. Prior to joining Portland State, Terrill worked with the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, a non-profit organization, charged with helping under-served youth graduate from high school and transition to college or other vocations.
Terrill enjoys traveling and has been to Europe, Central America, and Southeast Asia. He was an exchange student in Greece during the summer between his junior and senior year of high school.
Terrill graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He is happily married and has two amazing kids, soon to be 5th and 6th graders.
Alana Lardizabal joined Southern Oregon University as the Director of Human Resources in January 2016 and has collective bargaining experience with the SEIU Local 503 and the Association of Professors at Southern Oregon University (APSOU). Alana has over sixteen years of human resources experience in the California State University system, serving in roles that included Payroll, Academic Personnel, Facilities Management and Planning and Human Resources at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo and CSU Channel Islands.
Alana earned a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Laverne and a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development with a minor in Psychology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Chris Meade joined the University of Oregon in 2010 after spending nearly a decade working in the manufacturing industry. Chris is the Director of Employee and Labor Relations in the Office of Human Resources. Chris spent a number of years as a manager in Campus Planning and Facilities Management, administering the SEIU collective bargaining agreement, prior to moving his HR role. His office is responsible for five labor contracts at UO: UA, GTFF, SEIU, UOPA, and Teamsters.
Chris graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, playing hockey and golf, and spending time with his two young boys.
Desiree Noah joined WOU as the Executive Director of Human Resources in June 2023. She has over 17 years of experience in higher education human resources, serving most recently as the Executive Director of People, Safety and Compliance at Clatsop Community College. Prior to Clatsop, she worked at La Sierra University.
Desiree graduated from La Sierra University with a Master’s of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Fine Art from La Sierra University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
Huck Koester joined Portland State University in 2018 as the Executive Assistant for Human Resources and is training as a Compensation Analyst. She earned her Master’s from PSU in 2009 in Speech Language Pathology and has recently returned to administration after several years spent practicing in stroke rehab and dementia care. Huck’s background also include office administration in the hospitality industry and with the Port of Portland.
Originally from Oregon, Huck enjoys travelling and working on her artwork in her free time.
Brian Caufield transitioned from the Oregon University System’s Office of General Counsel to the University Shared Services Enterprise in April of 2014 as the Director of its newly created Labor Relations Services.
Brian’s labor relations experience has included collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, union representation petitions, unfair labor practice investigations and hearings, trials before administrative law judges, and oral arguments before the second highest court in the Nation. Brian’s non-legal career has included serving as president of labor union, teaching constitutional law, and working game nights for the public relations department of the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets.
He enjoys travelling the state on behalf of the Oregon public universities and visiting its many wonders along the way.