2024 MAPE Award Winners

Every year during Delegate Assembly, MAPE’s Executive Team announces special awards to honor the accomplishments of outstanding MAPE locals and members. 

The Outstanding Steward Award 

The Outstanding Steward Award is an honor bestowed upon an exceptional steward who exemplifies dedication, advocacy and unwavering commitment to the betterment and representation of our members. 

This year’s recipient is Region 13 Co-Steward Director Uyanga Bayandalai. Uyanga is a release planner for the Department of Corrections in Lino Lakes. She has worked in the sex offender program since 2017 and has been involved with our union since she first started in state service.  

She started out as her Local 1303 Treasurer and jumped at the chance to be a steward shortly thereafter. She said she enjoys “not only helping her clients but also her co-workers.” 

Region 13 is a tough region. It has four locals – 1301, 1302, 1303 and 1304 – and is one of MAPE’s largest geographic regions and includes multiple agencies and many Minnesota State campuses.  

MAPE’s updated steward retreats, Steward Retreat 2.0, emphasized the importance of building steward leaders, a message that Uyanga and the four locals in her region have wholeheartedly embraced. Over the past two years, Region 13 locals not only held their own local steward meetings every month but also convened virtually as a region.  

She is also working hard to keep Local 1303 running smoothly. She is the Local’s treasurer and doesn’t have the support of a local president, vice president or secretary since these positions are vacant. 

While holding down her fulltime job and caring for two children at home, she also received her doctorate. Uyanga is a shining star. 

Outstanding Member Outreach Award 

The Outstanding Member Outreach Award celebrates members who have displayed exemplary efforts in recruitment, engagement and fostering unity within our ranks.  

Engagement is the heartbeat of a union. The more engaged our members are, the stronger an more effective we become. Andrew Ulasich, Barbara Monaco, Claudia Hochstein and Kaity Taylor have played pivotal roles in enhancing that engagement with the 32-hour Workweek campaign. 

They are doing member outreach in an effective manner that could be emulated. The 32-hour Workweek organizers garnered support from 1,500 employees who signed a letter of support asking the Negotiations Committee to prioritize the 32-hour Workweek in contract negotiations. Three hundred of these signatures were from non-members and they were able to persuade 50 of them to join our union. 

They are doing this in a sustainable way that adds depth to our leadership.  

They approached the Political Council about supporting the 32-hour Workweek as a legislative priority. They had already identified leaders in MAPE’s governing bodies to gauge opportunities and obstacles. This kind of power analysis helps grassroots campaigns be more effective.  

They have already identified several battles that need to be built for this campaign so people aren’t left behind. They’re also reaching out to leadership at other unions to join the fight.  

Outstanding Union Service Award 

The Outstanding Union Service Award is an annual recognition celebrating a Minnesota government professional for his or her distinguished outstanding service to MAPE. 

This award goes to a MAPE member who has been an exceptional leader: Lauren Siegel, former chair of the Organizing Council. According to current Organizing Council Chair Zac Echola, who has worked with her since the inception of the Organizing Council, she recruited him to the Council and then pushed him to become a better organizer.  

Zac appreciates how she led the Organizing Council and is taking leadership at her Local. She is not only a steward but Local 2101 Membership Secretary and working to grow the membership secretary collective. She has one foot firmly on the ground but is always aware of the horizon in front of her.    

Outstanding Union Achievement Award 

The Outstanding Union Achievement Award recognizes those who have dedicated themselves to our union’s cause, shaping our course with their unwavering resolve. This award honors individuals who go beyond their roles and titles to make a real difference.  

Educational opportunities have brought him to Minnesota but meaningful work and a desire to make a difference in MAPE members’ lives kept Ken Rodgers here.   

Early in his career at the Department of Transportation, Ken’s boss introduced him to colleagues by saying, “I first met Ken 10 years ago when he was suing the Department of Transportation for not having an ADA transition plan.” 

This story truly captures Ken’s spirit – always fighting for fairness and advocating for those who need assistance the most. 

At MnDOT, Ken played a pivotal role in addressing accommodation issues for 5,000 employees across the state. It became well-known to “Call Ken at MnDOT” if you had a question about accommodations. He consistently took a proactive approach to accessibility, sharing his expertise with MAPE members on panels and workgroups. Ken’s forward-thinking nature meant he always anticipated challenges, urging us to stay ahead of the curve and never blaming us when we fell behind.  

His efforts were instrumental in kick-starting a review of outdated systems setting us on a path to modernize our technology – an ongoing process that owes much to Ken’s foresight. 

To bring this story full circle, Ken began his journey in state government – and with our union – through his work on accessibility. Even in retirement, he remains dedicated to the cause. Recently, he helped persuade Metro Mobility to ensure that drivers wait for 30 minutes while people with disabilities vote, ensuring they can participate fully in our democracy. 

We are honored to celebrate not only the work Ken has done for MAPE but also his continued contributions to Minnesotans.   

Organizing Council Achievement Awards 

Organizing Council Chair Zac Echola acknowledged one local for improving its membership percentage:  

• Local 602 

Echola also awarded locals with 75% membership or higher: 

• Local 1303 

• Local 1903 

Political Council Lobby Day Turnout Recognition Awards 

Political Council Chair John Ferrara presented appreciation awards to recognize all the MAPE locals that met their recruitment goals, and recruited at least 20 members to come to the Capito to talk with their legislators about issues important to MAPE.  

Locals recognized for their member turnout efforts for Day on the Hill 2024: 

• Local 901 

• Local 902 

• Local 1301 

• Local 1303 

• Local 1801 

• Local 1901 

• Local 1903 

• Local 2001  

• Local 2101