Welcome to Western Region 6
Thanks for visiting our Region web page!
CSEA’s Western Region covers 14 Western New York counties, supporting workers in more than 80 locals and 220 units in state government, local government, school districts, library systems, public authorities and the private sector. The region has approximately 46,000 members.
Steve Healy is a longtime Ontario County labor activist. Steve served as the Western Region 1st Vice President and had been the acting Ontario County Unit and Local President for several years. He is currently on his second term as Western Region President, which began on March 1, 2024.
Steve got his first taste of union work by becoming a shop unit steward in 2005. Shortly after, he enrolled in several programs offered by CSEA and the Cornell University Industrial and Labor Relations program. Since then, he has used those skills to benefit his co-workers and CSEA colleagues.
Learn more about Steve by clicking the button below to read his biography!
Region 6 Executive Board
Tim Finnigan, Executive Vice President
Sheri Ambuske, 1st Vice President
Lovette Mootry, 2nd Vice President
William Wilkinson, 3rd Vice President
Bonnie Peters, Recording Secretary
Robert “Bob” Pazik, Region Treasurer
Region 6 Staff
Whether it’s negotiating a new contract, enforcing the terms and conditions of your current contract, fighting unfair disciplinary actions or violations of your contract rights, your CSEA officers turn to CSEA’s professional Labor Relations staff for assistance.
Lead by Region Director Robert Mootry Jr., the CSEA Western Region has a full staff of Labor Relations Specialists (LRS) who work one-on-one with your officers to help mentor, guide and assist them in any and all labor relations matters. They can also act as your point person to accessing other CSEA resources.
If rank and file members need union assistance, your first call is to your Unit or Local officer. If staff resources need to be further accessed, your Unit and Local Officers will contact the assigned LRS for your workplace.
If you need to speak with your LRS directly, please call the Amherst Region Office at 716-691-6555 or the Rochester Satellite Office at 585-272-0800.
Western Region Labor Relations Specialists
Amherst LRS Staff
Sharon Ivey
Shaun Szejnar
Jill Ackerman
Crystal Melvin
Deb Mueller
Lynn Miller
Andrea Figueroa
Kevin Mole
Matt DeAngelo
Jose Cruz
Rochester LRS Staff
Paul Peters
Paul Markwitz
Don Havens
Ryan Carbone
Matthew Colton
Chris Rackl, Western Region Political Action Coordinator
In Western Region 6, all political activities are conducted under the advisement and with the assistance of Political Action Coordinator Chris Rackl.
As Coordinator, Chris can help CSEA leaders and activists get involved in the political process. From CSEA candidate endorsements, running voter registration drives, advising the Region Political Action Committee on policy that affects working people, or getting involved in village dissolution efforts are just some of the action items that keep our political action department busy.
If you have questions about our political action efforts, please contact Chris at the Western Region Office at 716-691-6555.
Sara McNicholas, Western Region Communications Specialist
For CSEA needs to better communicate with the media, the public, or even our own members, assistance is available from Communications Specialist Sara McNicholas.
Whether it’s speaking to the media, utilizing social media and web sites to get out our messages, photographing union events, putting together Letters to the Editor, fliers, demonstrations, information days, newsletters, contract campaigns, press releases, or articles for CSEA’s statewide newspaper The Work Force, Sara is available to help.
If you have a communications need, contact Sara in the region offices at
Amherst Western Region Office: 716-691-6555 or Rochester Western Region Satellite Office: 585-272-0800.
Illa Caira, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist
If you have a safety and health issue at your workplace or want help deciphering the numerous safety laws and regulations that are designed to protect you against harm, please contact the office of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Specialist for the Western Region. Our Specialist Illa Caira is available to assist safety & health committees, local and unit officers and activists across the region in making sure your worksites are hazard free and safe.
The OSH Specialist conducts work site visits to assess existing or potential hazards, files safety and health complaints with the state Department of Labor, advises the Region Safety & Health Committee, conducts educational training seminars on worker safety among other tasks.
If you have a safety and health issue, question or concern, please contact Illa at
the Western Region Office at 716-691-6555.
Western Region Support Staff
Our dedicated clerical support staff work hard to run our two offices, the Western Region Office in Amherst and the Rochester Satellite Office at Winton Place.
From answering the phones to typing forms, making copies, faxing, mailing and filing legal papers, our clerical support staff is the backbone of the whole operation providing top-notch service to our union members.
If you have a question about our union support staff services,
call Region Office Manager Karen Confer at 716-691-6555.
Support Staff
Karen Confer, Office Manager
Ryan Swarts, Senior Office Assistant – Rochester Office
Sheila Mitchell, Senior Office Assistant/ Region Membership Liaison
Mollie Dusza, Office Assistant
Update your workplace bulletin board!
The Region 6 Jim Jayes Golf Tournament on July 18
Registration form for golfers & Hole Sponsor forms:
R6 Darien Lake Family Picnic on July 19
Ticket information:
The Region 6 Sunshine Fund Application is available to members in economic hardship during times of catastrophe or crisis. The Region 6 Sunshine Fund Committee oversees applications & disbursements of funds. All funds are 100% donated.
Upcoming Workshops
(Zoom links for Education and Training Webinar are sent from education.training@no-reply.zoom.us)