"Onward and Upward Together"
BPSU Executive Committee
Bro. Armell Thomas
President
Sis. Ashley Smith
Recording Secretary
Sis. Nadine Henry, JP
1st Vice President
Sis. Christine Bogle-Mienzer
Assistant Recording Secretary
Sis. Dr. Michelle Evans
2nd Vice President
Bro. Kevin Grant
General Secretary
Sis. Sharon Symonds
3rd Vice President
Sis. Kim Richards
Treasurer
Bro. Armell Thomas
President
Bro. Armell Thomas is a long-standing employee at the Department of Health as a Senior Environmental Health Officer.
Bro. Thomas comes back to the BPSU as he was President of the Union from 2005-2011 and served as President of the Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) from 2006-2007. He also presided over the 37th Annual Conference held in Bermuda in July 2007.
Under Bro. Thomas' previous presidency with the BPSU, the Union participated in marches on the Government of the day in 2008 for unsettled BPSU negotiations and joined public service unions in support of the Police Service Association in protest of their outstanding contract talks.
Bro. Thomas' aim is to continue to move the Union forward in this ever-changing world.
Sis. Nadine Henry, JP
1st Vice President
Sis. Nadine Henry is the Senior Youth Services Development Officer for the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation. Formerly a Social Studies teacher, Sis. Nadine transferred within the public service in 2006 to become a Community Education and Development Programme Coordinator. Shortly after she joined the BPSU and became a Shop Steward for the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.
Sis. Nadine was an involved unionist having served previously as the Division 7 Secretary, member of the BPSU - Government Negotiation Team, member of the Young Workers Committee (now Future Leaders) and Chair of the BPSU Women’s Committee. She has represented the BPSU overseas, presenting in Women’s Forums and served as the Education Chairperson for the Caribbean Public Services Association.
Sis. Nadine considers herself a servant of fellow mankind therefore she easily aligns herself with defending the rights of workers.
Sis. Nadine’s mantra is, “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” Marian Wright Edleman
Sis. Dr. Michelle Evans
2nd Vice President
Sis. Dr. Michelle Evans is a pragmatic and committed leader with an extensive record of success in the healthcare and labor relations industry. She prides herself on assessing, managing, and resolving critical issues and promoting organizational development at varying levels. She has also represented the Union overseas and has obtained her Certificate in Labour Studies through the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies.
Her core goals are improving organizational culture and maintaining positive work environments by representing diverse members and thwarting bad practices. In tandem with this, she collaborates with various administrative management and Human resource teams to ensure compliance with labor contract terms and the development of the preceptor program. This program will benefit new hires in acclimatizing to the organization's culture, policies, and procedures.
Sis. Dr. Evans loves to travel and enjoys the culture, rich history, food, and getting to know the people of the various places she visits. Her greatest desire is to help others achieve professional and personal growth and development through mentorship, support, and guidance.
Sis. Sharon Symonds
3rd Vice President
Sis. Sharon Symonds has a long history of active trade unionism stemming back to the early eighties. Her first experience as a Shop Steward was in the hotel industry at Lantana Cottage Colony under the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU).
In 1996 she became employed with the Bermuda Government as a Nurse’s Aide at Lefroy House. She then transferred to the Department of Health as a Community Health Worker providing services caring for seniors in their own home.
Sis. Symonds has come through the ranks of the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU), previously serving as Shop Steward for the clerical staff at the Department of Health and then as a General Officer as Chairperson (Chief Shop Steward) of Division 2. In November 2022, General Council appointed her as the 1st Vice-President of BPSU after the seat was vacated. During this short period, she had responsibility for overseeing Divisions 2, 10 & 11.
Most persons will know Sis. Symonds for her passion in representing BPSU in the community as Chairperson of the Community Outreach Committee.
Sis. Symonds has always been an advocate for others and is adamant about making sure that people are not disrespected and are treated fairly especially in the workplace. She is very serious about her role and demonstrates true dedication with a willingness to serve. She welcomes teamwork. One of her personal mottos is” I speak for those that don’t have a voice.”
A number of years ago, Sis. Symonds suffered from Sensorial Hearing Loss and she is currently a member of the Disability Advisory Council. She is the co-founder of the group “Hear Us Now Bermuda” which provides a safe space and support for people who are experiencing hearing loss and helps to remove the stigma that is attached to persons with disabilities.
Sis. Symonds describes herself as being designed with a purpose, programmed to succeed and Destined for Greatness.
Sis. Ashley Smith
Recording Secretary
Sis. Ashley Smith is the Enforcement Officer & Supervisor within the Judicial Department, responsible for the Supervision of the Office of Family & Child Support, Family (Special) & Juvenile Courts, Mental Health Treatment Court and liaison for the registration and enforcement of interjurisdictional maintenance orders across the world.
Sis. Smith has served as Secretary of Division 12, Chairperson of Division 12 and former member of the Secretariat Negotiations Team (Management), Future Leaders and Women's Committees. Sis. Smith has represented the BPSU both locally and overseas at UNI, CPSA and CLC as a young worker. Sis. Smith has been instrumental in serving members in matters of grievance handling, disciplinary hearings and critical Health & Safety issues. As an acknowledgement of her work and commitment, Sis. Smith was awarded 'Young Woman of Influence' by the BPSU Women's Committee on International Women's Day in 2018.
Sis Smith currently serves on the BPSU History Book Review Committee, the BPSU team in Government negotiations and CCC Meetings, Clarien Bank negotiations and JCC Meetings, and Salvation Army negotiations and JCC Meetings. She is the current Chair of the Constitutional & Bye-Laws Review Committee and team lead for the implementation of Strategic Priority #4: Modernize Policy & Processes (2022-2026).
Sis Smith is a proud Public Servant, BPSU Member and Union Activist. Sis. Smith's biggest supporter is her daughter, also an advocate in youth policy and student councilship, who keenly observes her mother serving the members of the organization fairly, transparently, effectively and most importantly in their very best interests.
Sis. Christine Bogle-Mienzer
Assistant Recording Secretary
Sis. Christine Bogle-Mienzer is a Clinical Nurse Manager at the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB). Her mantra is “to lead with kindness and compassion.” Sis. Christine is a member of the BHB morale team and believes in valuing human assets.
She started her journey as a Shop Steward over twelve (12) years ago and served as the Secretary of Division 4 for two (2) tenures.
Sis. Christine’s passion for unionism and the protection of workers’ rights led her to pursue other roles within the Union.
As an active member of the Bermuda Public Services Union, she serves as:
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A General Council Officer
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An Executive Officer – Assistant Recording Secretary 2023-2026
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The Women’s Committee Chair 2023-2026
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A member of the Community Outreach Committee, and
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The Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) Women’s Committee Chair 2023-2024.
Sis. Christine remains active within the community as an adjunct faculty member at Bermuda College (Nursing) and the President of the Bermuda Chapter of the Canadian Vascular Access Association (CVAA). In Sis. Christine’s spare time, she enjoys reading, yoga, and spending quality time with her phenomenal wife Linda and fur babies RayLove and Harmonii Orion Bogle-Mienzer.
Bro. Kevin Grant
General Secretary
The Union is pleased to report that effective May 12, 2021, Bro. Kevin S. Grant assumed the role of General Secretary.
In 1994, Bro. Grant was elected as Shop Steward for the Department of Planning, where he worked as a Senior Administrative Officer for 27 years, while still serving in various capacities within the BPSU. In 1997, he was selected to participate in BPSU’s Leadership Development Program and served as an Executive on the Youth Committee. In 1999, Bro. Grant was elected the Chair of Division 11. As a part of his on-going development, Bro. Grant attended the New Union Leaders Course at George Meany University of Labor in Baltimore, Maryland in 2000. As a representative of the BPSU, he participated in the prestigious Commonwealth Study Conference in Australia and New Zealand in 2003.
Bro. Grant was elected as 3rd Vice President (2005-2008) and 1st Vice President (2008-2011) before ascending to the post of President (2011-2014).
During his tenure as President, the relationship between the BPSU and the Bermuda Industrial Union was rejuvenated resulting in the BIU joining the Bermuda Trade Union Congress in 2012. As President, he participated in the historic round of negotiations between the Bermuda Government and the BTUC in 2013.
In March 2014 Bro. Grant received his Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, and in October 2016, he was appointed BPSU’s Assistant General Secretary. In 2018, he obtained a certificate in Labour Relations through Queen’s University IRC program, and in June of 2019 he was awarded the designation of Chartered Manager.
Bro. Grant has served on various Government boards and Committees including Immigration Board, Labour Advisory Committee, Joint Grading Panel, GENI Management Committee, Public Service Superannuation Board and the BHB Compensation Governance Committee.
Married to Dorothea and father to one son named Dakai, Bro. Grant is very active in the community having served on the Pembroke Parish Council and in various positions on the North Village Community Club Executive as well as the Treasurer for North Village Community Trust (St. Monica’s Neighborhood Action Group).
Sis. Kim Richards
Treasurer
Known for integrity, being forthright, and hard work, Sis. Kim Richards has spent most of her working life as a public servant. Having been the Management Accountant in the high-volume Payments section at Accountant General’s Department (ACG) for three (3) years and for Financial Reporting for one (1) year, she was promoted to Senior Management Accountant and selected for and assigned to the project team that delivered E1, a web-based accounting solution for the Bermuda Government. On the project, she was Team Lead for Purchasing and Payables training thousands of users for the go live. She also spent time managing the Bank Reconciliation section and on secondment to Ministry Comptroller for the Economy, Trade & Industry and Home Affairs Ministries. Sis. Kim currently has eleven (11) years at the Office of the Tax Commissioner as Assistant Tax Commissioner - Operations where she oversees the collection and reporting of the majority of the government's revenue, has responsibility as comptroller and for IT.
A Certified Professional Accountant (CPA), Sis. Kim earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and then sat the Certified Management Accountant's exam in 2003. Previously, she was employed at the Transport Control Department as a Clerk and then Information Clerk before returning to school. After graduation, she worked at Butterfield Bank reviewing prices of investments and Bermuda Monetary Authority as a Supervisor of banks and deposit companies where her main role was reviewing the financial institutions' compliance with requirements before being selected to work at ACG.
Sis. Kim is dedicated to service, having served as a Shop Steward at TCD and ACG and holding multiple roles at her beloved, Devonshire Recreation Club - Coach, Medic, Treasurer and Vice-President. She transitioned to Bermuda Football Association as Treasurer for five (5) years. Sis. Kim is known to many as the lady that makes gingerbread, Cougars or the crochet lady. She now stands ready to be Bermuda Public Services Union Treasurer, overseeing audit, development of the organizations core financial policies; sits as PIPA Executive Officer; will lead Strategic Priority Finance to enhance the organization’s revenue streams and continued financial stability.