Gary Holder-Winfield

Gary was hired from a talented pool of candidates shortly after his graduation from SCSU in 2006 with a B.S. in political science. Gary was originally given a one-year contract with CSU-AAUP and the position was made permanent in spring 2007. As Membership Services Assistant, Gary is responsible for assisting the Membership Services Coordinator at SCSU, maintaining the SCSU-AAUP website, and working directly with the CSU-AAUP’s lobbying firm, Betty Gallo & Co.

Gary has an extensive range of professional experience. He spent several years in the United States Navy's Nuclear Power Program and worked for Alstom Power, Inc. after leaving the military. At Alstom, Gary served as a Technical Field Advisor in its electrical engineering division. In 2003, Gary left the engineering field so that he could return to college and become more involved in the New Haven community.

During his second semester at SCSU, he organized students and the mayors of New Haven and Milford and held a press conference opposing a 12.4% tuition increase. Gary also led students at meetings with the Board of Trustees and the General Assembly. He testified in opposition to the increase at a public hearing, asking for the Appropriations Committee’s assistance in mitigating the raise in tuition. Gary later served as an intern for Bill Dyson, who was the House Chair of the Appropriations Committee at the time.

Upon returning to college, Gary also founded QUEST Educational Initiatives, a consulting firm concerned with mentoring today’s younger generation. QUEST has since expanded to deal with issues of diversity and minority youth employment skills, providing seminars and training for corporations and organizations across the country.

While a student at SCSU, Gary also ran for New Haven City Alderman. He did not win the race, but his political aspirations have not weakened. In 2004, Gary became co-chair of his ward's Democratic Committee and since 2006 Gary has continued his political activism, becoming the Chair of the Connecticut Federation of Black Democratic Clubs. Also, Gary was invited to deliver the keynote address for the "Leadership through Service" conference, a joint effort between the Academy of Public Service and Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In the short period that Gary has worked for CSU-AAUP, he has proved to be invaluable to the organization.

Connecticut State University American Association of University Professors

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