NEWS RELEASE

Date:          June 30, 2015

Contact:    Kris Hanselman, Associate Executive Director, (808) 593-2157

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UHPA - Christian Fern - 6 29 2015

University of Hawaii Professional Assembly Names
Christian Fern Associate Executive Director

Honolulu, Hawaii – The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) has named Christian Fern Associate Executive Director. He begins on July 1, 2015 and will play a key role on the union’s leadership team, representing nearly 4,000 faculty members on 10 campuses across the statewide University of Hawaii system.

Prior to joining UHPA, Fern had gained more than 15 years of experience in health plan administration, serving most of those years with Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA), the largest health plan in the state.  He served in progressively responsible roles during his time with HMSA.

During his last four years with HMSA, Fern served as Manager of the Employer-Union Trust Fund (EUTF) program, which administers health benefits for public sector unions. Fern worked closely with EUTF Trustees, administration and other partners to provide health plans for State and City & County employees and their dependents as well as for retirees.

“We’re very pleased to have Christian, a UH alumnus, join our leadership team. His experience in successfully collaborating with different sectors of the community and his personal integrity will be tremendous assets to UHPA as we work to advance the mission of the UH and reclaim the UH’s position as a place of quality learning, research and community service. He brings skills and knowledge that will enhance the well-being of our faculty members,” said Kris Hanselman, Associate Executive Director, who will step up to the role of Executive Director in September 2015. She assumes the new role after current Executive Director and Chief Administrator J. N. Musto retires.

Hanselman added that Fern’s marketing and sales experience will also be valuable with UHPA’s member recruitment initiatives, particularly when reaching out to the next generation of faculty members.

Fern also served as a Manager of Large Accounts for State and Federal Plans with Kaiser Permanente and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Fern is a Punahou School graduate and received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. He also completed the Advanced Labor Studies Program for Executives program at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. The Aiea resident has served on the Punahou Alumni Board of Directors since 2009, on its executive board since 2012, and effective July 1, 2015, begins his term as 1st vice president.

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About the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly
The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) has been the exclusive bargaining agent for all UH faculty since 1974 and currently represents nearly 4,000 faculty members at 10 campuses in the University of Hawaii system statewide.