{"id":6891,"date":"2026-09-14T11:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/?p=6891"},"modified":"2026-09-16T12:28:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:28:48","slug":"meet-the-candidates-2026-wcea-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/meet-the-candidates-2026-wcea-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Candidates – 2026 WCEA Election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2026, the WCEA offices up for election are Vice President, Secretary, and 4 seats on the Board of Directors. The term of office is from November 1, 2026 to October 31, 2028. The election will be conducted virtually via ElectionRunner.com from October 1-October 9, 2026. On the first day of the election, each WCEA member will receive an e-mail from ElectionRunner with a link to cast their vote. The candidates for each office are listed below. Each candidate was allowed to submit a photo and a personal statement.

Please be advised that per Article VI, Section 2 (Pg 3) of the WCEA Bylaws, as adopted by our members, only two members from a single department may be elected to the Board of Directors. Due to this rule, and the current makeup of the Board members who are not up for election this year, only one person may be elected from the following departments: Health; Human Services Agency; Alternate Public Defender. Even if multiple members from those departments are the top vote-receivers, only one from each department can be seated on the Board. Article XIII, Section 4 (Pg 7) of the Bylaws describes the procedure for determining who gets seated if multiple people are elected from the same department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vice President<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kathie Maestas (Recorder’s Office)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why I Am Asking for Your Vote<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been an active member of WCEA since 2017 and have served in leadership since 2018. I currently serve as your Vice President. I have worked to ensure that WCEA remains financially responsible and focused on protecting the interests of our members. I have been involved in important financial decisions and have worked to ensure our members\u2019 dues are used responsibly. I have participated in contract negotiations and serve on the Insurance Negotiation Committee, where I have worked to make financially responsible decisions while protecting the quality of benefits our members receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also worked alongside our labor representatives to assist members with representation. I believe one of the most important responsibilities of WCEA leadership is making sure our members know they have someone they can turn to when they need help. If reelected as your Vice President, I will continue to bring the same commitment, experience, and financial responsibility to this position. I will continue working to keep dues affordable, protect our benefits, strengthen our contracts, and ensure the Association remains financially sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, I will continue to have an open-door policy. Whether you have a concern, need assistance with representation, or simply want to recognize a staff member, I want you to know you can reach out to me. I am asking for your vote so I can continue the work we have started together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your trust and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Secretary<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jessica Adams-Lopes (Office of the County Manager)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m Jessica Adams-Lopes and I work in Emergency Management as a Program Coordinator under the Office of the County Manager. I have been with the County for 6.5 years and a WCEA Board Member for the last 4 years. I first joined Washoe County with the hope of bettering our community\u2013and in my time here\u2013I have witnessed numerous employees going above and beyond their duties to help the citizens of our community. I think it\u2019s only fair that employees receive the same quality treatment as we give our citizens. I believe that Washoe County is a great place to work, and I want all employees to feel the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My intent in joining the board was to be a positive advocate for employees and ensure employees\u2019 voices were being heard. I have served as the WCEA Secretary for the last 1.5 years and in this role, I create meeting agendas and serve on the Executive Board. Additionally, I have served on the Scholarship Committee and as Chair of the Member Committee, where we planned events like Bagels & Coffee and Aces Games and allocated donations to local organizations.  I would be honored to serve a second term on the Washoe County Employee Association Secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I\u2019m not working, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, and exploring Northern Nevada\u2019s great food & drink scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Board of Directors (4 seats)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anne Stoll-Truelock (Northern Nevada Public Heath)<\/p>\n\n\n

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Hello everyone, I\u2019m Anne Stoll-Truelock, and I\u2019m asking for your support as I seek election to the WCEA Board of Directors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve worked for Washoe County for 13 years and currently serve as a Fiscal Compliance Officer with Northern Nevada Public Health. Prior to my current role, I worked with the Human Services Agency and spent seven years as the County Payroll Supervisor in the Comptroller\u2019s Office. These experiences have given me a broad understanding of County operations, employee concerns, and the importance of having knowledgeable and informed representation at the bargaining table and on the WCEA Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I previously served five years on the WCEA Board, and I\u2019m ready to bring that experience back to the Board. I also served seven years on the Washoe County Safety Committee, including as Chairperson in 2016, and since 2020 have represented supervisory employees on the Insurance Negotiation Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my time representing employees, I\u2019ve worked alongside Kathie Maestas and Blaine Clements in the Insurance Negotiation Committee to advocate for and protect the benefits and interests that matter to County employees and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After spending the past year away from the Board, I\u2019m looking forward to the opportunity to return with a renewed perspective and the same commitment to strong, responsible, and informed representation. I believe WCEA members deserve a voice that understands both the day-to-day realities of working for Washoe County and the importance of making thoughtful decisions about our Association and its resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m asking for your vote and the opportunity to once again serve WCEA members. Thank you for your support!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Karen Larsen (District Attorney’s Office)<\/p>\n\n\n

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Hi, I\u2019m Karen, and I\u2019ve been a part of the Washoe County family for more than 15 years. I currently work as a Child Support Specialist with the District Attorney\u2019s Office, Family Support Division, and I also hold a Paralegal Certificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my time with the WCEA, I\u2019ve become increasingly interested in learning more about the association, our employment agreements, and the processes that affect County employees.  I\u2019d like to continue building that knowledge so I can be a more informed and effective advocate for our members and a resource when employees have questions or concerns. I believe strong employee representation starts with listening to members, understanding the issues that affect them, and making sure they have accurate information and a meaningful voice.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, exploring Northern Nevada and tending to my small (but very opinionated) flock of rescued parrots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d appreciate the opportunity to continue serving on the WCEA Board and to become even more involved in supporting our members and strengthening the association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kathryn O’Bryan (Public Defender’s Office)<\/p>\n\n\n

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My name is Katie O\u2019Bryan, also known as \u201cKO\u201d by many of my colleagues. In 2023, I proudly re-entered public sector employment as the first Paralegal to work in public defense for Washoe County. This culminated nearly 15 years of experience in the legal field \u2013 starting as a POST-certified juvenile corrections officer in California, then working in private practice law firms once coming to Reno. There I held roles in insurance defense litigation and post-conviction criminal defense, with caseloads represented before the Nevada Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My work experience and skills have provided me with keen insight into the importance of phrasing and terminology used in legal matters, and also how to break down complex legal concepts in ways that all of us can actually understand. However, it is my core values, influenced strongly by my family, that I believe provide me with the most benefit to represent WCEA. My great-grandfather \u2013 who was a member and organizer for one of the first unions to exist in the USA \u2013 instilled in his 5 children the importance of hard work and grit, showing up to stand in solidarity with members of your community, and to always support your local union. I join many family members since then who have come to work in public service and union organizing as a result of those inherited values. I am a fierce advocate who believes strongly in the work we all do together for the citizens of Washoe County, and also in the incredible value that provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of work, I am a proud mother to my son, Dawson, a recent Reno High graduate. I also enjoy outdoor activities, live events, sporting events, and am a fan of an eclectic assortment of movies and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rick Martinez (Public Administrator’s Office)<\/p>\n\n\n

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My name is Rick Martinez. I have been a Reno\/Sparks resident since 1996 and I am a proud graduate of UNR with a BA in Criminal Justice. I have been an employee with Washoe County since 2013 and currently work for the Washoe County Public Administrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working for Washoe County, I have had the rare opportunity to follow many of our services from literally birth through death, responding to child abuse\/neglect reports as a CPS worker, acting as Guardian for those most vulnerable in our communities, and finally to my current position handling estates of individuals who have no one else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my time, I have been pleasantly surprised to see that in every department I come into contact with, there are so many amazing, hardworking employees doing incredible work. Those that have worked with me know that I advocate for myself and my coworkers at every opportunity. I also love to talk about the benefits of the 457 plan. \u201cHey you know you can rollover to buy years.\u201d -Me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If elected, I promise to continue to advocate for employees, focus on our competitive pay\/benefits, advocate for more parental benefits for our working families, and most importantly do what I can to keep Washoe County the best place to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my wife, one year old son, and our Border Collie-Beagle Kip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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In 2026, the WCEA offices up for election are Vice President, Secretary, and 4 seats on the Board of Directors. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6438,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"nfd_image_url":"","nfd_onboarding_generated":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[132],"tags":[150],"class_list":["post-6891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-updates","tag-elections"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Meet-The-Candidates-Logo.jpg?fit=600%2C355&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6891"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7255,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions\/7255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wcea.us\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}