Stewards and staff

See below for a directory of our stewards and staff. Jump to: Unit Representatives, Organizing Committee Chairs, GSAS Humanities Stewards, GSAS STEM Stewards, GSAS Professional Schools Stewards, GSAS Steinhardt Stewards, GSAS Tandon Stewards, or UAW Staff.

Interested in becoming a steward or getting involved in a working group? Click the buttons below to learn more.


Unit Representatives

Arundhati Velamur

I am a former bargaining committee member and Ph.D. student in education. I believe strongly in the power of rank and file democracy and am committed to a union that organizes around anti-racist, anti-casteist, and abolitionist goals.

Contact Arundhati at arundhati.velamur@gmail.com.

Gabe Levine-Drizin

Howdy! I’m a third-year PhD student studying Latin American History focusing on Colombia during the Cold War. When I’m not studiously revising GSOC’s contract to make sure I can best fight for you (and us!), I’m either coaching rock climbing or biking around. My first experience with GSOC was walking the picket line as a non-member, and as a steward now, I’ll work hard to make NYU the just and equitable community that it so often claims to be!

Contact Gabe at gabelevinedrizin@yahoo.com.

Kaustubh Yeole

I’m a Master’s in Computer Engineering candidate at NYU Tandon. I’m excited to work with fellow members, advocate for the rights, building power across schools, and expand into working with an NYU-wide organization.

Contact Kaustubh at kaustubhyeole99@gmail.com.


Organizing Committee Chairs

Anila Gill

I’m a PhD candidate in Cinema Studies, a former Bargaining Committee member and a former Unit Rep with GSOC. As OC Co-Chair, I look forward to organizing with the rank-and-file and building power across schools and campuses.

Contact Anila at anila.gill@gmail.com.

Arundhati Velamur

I am a former bargaining committee member and Ph.D. student in education. I believe strongly in the power of rank and file democracy and am committed to a union that organizes around anti-racist, anti-casteist, and abolitionist goals.

Contact Arundhati at arundhati.velamur@gmail.com.


Stewards

Humanities

GSAS Humanities A
  • Anthropology Department
  • Linguistics Department
  • English Department
  • Environmental Studies Department
  • Fales Library & Special Collections
  • Music Department
Ben Gaillard-Garrido

I’m a first-year PhD Student in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and have been part of GSOC since Fall 2022. As a stewards, I am committed to defending our rights as student-workers and making sure our hard-won contract is enforced.

Contact Ben at benjamin.gaillardgarrido@gmail.com.

GSAS Humanities B
  • Asian Pacific American Institute
  • East Asian Studies
  • European and Mediterranean Studies
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Creative Writing Program
  • Center for the Humanities
  • Expository Writing
  • Writing Program
  • Institute of African-American Affairs
  • Center for the Study of Africa and the African Diaspora
  • Africa House
  • SocHum Reference Services 
Gabe Levine-Drizin

Howdy! I’m a third-year PhD student studying Latin American History focusing on Colombia during the Cold War. When I’m not studiously revising GSOC’s contract to make sure I can best fight for you (and us!), I’m either coaching rock climbing or biking around. My first experience with GSOC was walking the picket line as a non-member, and as a steward now, I’ll work hard to make NYU the just and equitable community that it so often claims to be!

Contact Gabe at gabelevinedrizin@yahoo.com.

GSAS Humanities C
  • Comparative Literature
  • Department of French Literature, Thought and Culture
  • International Relations
  • Ireland House
  • Italian Studies
  • Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature
  • King Juan Carlos Center
Giulia Sbaffi

I am a 5th year PhD student in Italian. I joined GSOC as an international student worker in my second year and now I take this ​​opportunity to advocate for the collective political processes we honor and commit to as union members.

Contact Giulia at giula.sbaffi@gmail.com.

GSAS Humanities D
  • German Department
  • History Department
  • Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
  • Hebrew and Judaic Studies
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Department of Russian and Slavic Studies
  • Near Eastern Studies
  • Religious Studies
  • Jordan Family Center
  • Center for Religion and Media 
Alec Shea

Contact Alec at alexshea@gmail.com.

GSAS Humanities E
  • Institute of Fine Arts
  • Barbara Goldsmith Preservation & Conservation
  • Institute of Fine Arts Library
  • Art History
  • College Core Curriculum
Vacant

GSAS Humanities F
  • Philosophy Department
  • Department of Classics
  • CAS
  • CAS-Administration
  • Institute for the Study of the Ancient World Library
  • Institute for the Study of the Ancient World
Vacant
GSAS Humanities G
  • Sociology Department
  • Politics Department
  • Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
  • Center for Social Media and Politics
  • Social and Cultural Analysis 
  • Center on International Cooperation 
Jonah Inserra

Hello everyone, my name’s Jonah and I’m a first-year joint PhD student in French and History studying post-revolutionary Haiti. I’m organizing with GSOC because several years working in the restaurant industry (and studying history) have made clear to me the power of organized labor. I also relish the community and camaraderie that organizing and the union provide!

Contact Jonah at j.inserra7@gmail.com.

GSAS Humanities H
  • University Administrative Departments
Tova Benjamin

I’m a sixth-year PhD candidate in history and Jewish studies, and have been organizing with GSOC in different capacities since 2020, including as a unit rep. I am committed to building graduate worker power and strengthening GSOC’s traditions of social justice and rank and file led unionism. As a steward, I’m excited to defend our contract and help protect the rights of my fellow graduate workers. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about our contract, organizing, or plugging into GSOC, or if you have issues at work.

Contact Tova at tovabenjamin@gmail.com.


GSAS STEM

GSAS STEM A
  • Psychology Department
  • Mathematics
Vacant
GSAS STEM B
  • Center for Data Science
  • Biology and Genomics
  • Center for Neural Science 
Andrea Ho

Hi! I’m a second year Master’s student in History studying social movements and carceral history. I’m excited to work with STEM students (I majored in neuroscience once upon a time!) to build worker power and seek change through collective action! Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Contact Andrea at andrea.ho7@hotmail.com.

GSAS STEM C
  • Chemistry Department
Vacant

GSAS STEM D
  • Non-Tandon Computer Science
  • Courant
  • Physics Department 
Vacant

Professional Schools

Professional Schools A
  • Undergraduate Drama 
  • ​Institute of Performing Arts 
  • Cinema Studies 
  • Graduate Film 
  • Performance Studies 
  • Graduate Acting 
  • Graduate Musical Theater Writing 
  • Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute 
  • Theatrical Production 
  • Hemispheric Institute 
Phoebe Chen

Contact Phoebe at phoebech88@gmail.com.

Professional Schools B
  • Dramatic Writing 
  • Interactive Telecommunications Program 
  • Dance Department 
  • Kanbar Finance 
Patrick Spauster

I’m a Master’s of Urban Planning Candidate at NYU Wagner and a Graduate Student Researcher at NYU Furman Center. I help organize a union at the Urban Institute, and I’m proud to continue organizing for the benefit of the NYU community.

Contact Patrick at patrick.spauster@gmail.com.

Professional Schools C
  • Wagner 
  • Marron Institute 
  • Art and Public Policy 
Eva Phillips

Hi! I’m a first-year Master of Urban Planning Candidate at NYU Wagner where I study affordable housing and equitable development with a focus on anti-displacement and eviction prevention. I am also a Graduate Student Researcher at the Furman Center and a proud member of UAW Local 2110! As a steward I look forward to organizing with and advocating for my fellow workers — please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Contact Eva at eva.e.phillips@gmail.com.

Professional Schools D
  • Gallatin 
  • STAC Graduate Assistant 
  • Game Design 
  • Grey Art Gallery 
  • Jonathan M Tisch Center of Hospitality 
  • Open Arts 
  • Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music 
  • Design for Stage & Film 
  • Schack Institute of Real Estate 
Micaela Suminski

Micaela is a second-year MA student who studies documentary filmmaking and critical disaster studies at Gallatin. She especially loves watching and making movies about labor organizing; right now she’s working on films about Occupy Sandy and gig economy delivery bikers. Get in touch with Micaela to talk about your work, the local Brooklyn music scene, movies of all kinds, or an awesome political theory book!

Contact Micaela at micaelasuminski@gmail.com.

Professional Schools E
  • Silver School of Social Work 
  • Accounting 
  • Berkley Innovation Lab 
  • Center for Sustainability and Business 
  • Department of Technology, Operations and Statistics 
  • Management Communication Program 
  • Endless Frontier Labs 
  • Finance 
  • Finance Department 
  • Learning Science 
  • Management 
  • Marketing Department 
  • MBA Admissions 
  • MBA Admissions and Financial Aid 
  • Stern UC – Deans Office 
  • Center for Applied Liberal Arts 
  • DPB – Technology Programs, LHCM, and CADA- LHCM 
  • DPB – Integrated Marketing Communications Programs 
Lauren Peressini

Contact Lauren at Lauren.Peressini@gmail.com.

Professional Schools F
  • Economics Department
Jenny Leigh

Contact Jenny at jennykleigh@gmail.com.

Professional Schools G
  • Nursing
  • School of Global Public Health 
  • Cariology and Comprehensive Care 
Scarlett

Scarlett is a Master of Public student at New York University who is passionate about activism and helping others. As a steward at The Union for Graduate Employees at New York University (“GSOC-UAW Local 2110”), she aims to help graduate workers as much as she possibly can. Using her legal education and professional legal work experience, she brings with her a valuable skill set that aids in understanding how important union activism and union protected activities are in ensuring that fair labor practices are in place. As a steward, Scarlett can assist graduate workers as the first point of contact.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Contact Scarlett at scarlett.gsoc.uaw.local2110@gmail.com.


Steinhardt

Steinhardt A
  • Media, Culture, and Communication 
  • Art and Art Professions 
  • PRIISM 
Charlie Muller

I look forward to helping maintain our union’s strength and fighting for NYU to treat its workers with the dignity we deserve. 

Contact Charlie at charmuller555@gmail.com.

Steinhardt B
  • Occupational Therapy 
  • Physical Therapy 
  • Department of Nutrition and Food Studies 
  • Teaching and Learning 
  • Metro Center  
Padma Govindarajan

Contact Padma at padma.govind94@gmail.com.

Steinhardt C
  • Administration, Leadership, and Technology 
  • Institute of Human Development & Social Change 
Vacant

Steinhardt D
  • Applied Statistics, Social Science, and Humanities 
  • Applied Psychology 
  • LEARN 
  • Communicative Sciences and Disorders  
Vacant
Steinhardt E
  • Music and Performing Arts Professions 
Yeji Lee

I’m a second year Master of Public Administration student and a graduate research assistant at the Financial Access Initiative. I’m excited to be a proactive point of contact to protect the hard-fought rights and benefits of my fellow workers.

Contact Yeji at l.yeji1@gmail.com.


Tandon

Tandon A
  • Applied Physics 
  • Biomedical Engineering 
  • Civil and Urban Engineering, C2Smart 
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 
  • Civil and Urban Engineering 
  • Bern Dibner Library 
Vacant
Tandon B
  • Computer Science & Engineering  
Hardi Ramani

Here to make a difference

Contact Hardi at hardiramani2000@gmail.com.

Tandon C
  • Electrical & Computer Engineering
Kaustubh Yeole

I’m a Master’s in Computer Engineering candidate at NYU Tandon. I’m excited to work with fellow members, advocate for the rights, building power across schools, and expand into working with an NYU-wide organization.

Contact Kaustubh at kaustubhyeole99@gmail.com.

Tandon D
  • Mathematics for Engineering 
  • Finance & Risk Engineering 
  • Finance and Administration 
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 
Vacant
Tandon E
  • Center for Urban Science and Progress
  • Tandon Tutoring Center Student Tutors 
  • Bern Dibner Library of Science & Technology 
  • Academic Affairs for K-12 Education Program 
  • Makerspace 
  • Graduate Admissions
Abirami Ravishankar

I’m Abirami, a graduate student in the Computer Engineering Department. I absolutely love public speaking.

Contact Abirami at abirami.ravishanker@gmail.com.

Tandon F
  • Technology Based Learning 
  • Technology Management and Innovation 
  • Technology, Culture and Society 
Radhika Goyanka

I love connecting with new people, listening to new perceptive and their experiences!

Contact Radhika at goyankarr@gmail.com.


UAW Staff

President of Local 2110
Olga Brudastova

Olga got involved in the union during the first year of her PhD program at Columbia, in 2014. After graduation, in 2018, she decided to change her career from Civil Engineering to labor organizing. She has represented workers in educational and cultural institutions, and joined GSOC in 2021.

Olga was elected President of Local 2110 in 2022.

Contact Olga at olgabrudastova@2110uaw.org.