THEATRE REP GETS RAVE REVIEWS

Mary Donovan was recently promoted to the position of principal theatre rep, where her duties will be expanded to include Broadway and Off Broadway.

Donovan first became interested in unions by working on a successful campaign to organize her own workplace. In a campaign that lasted five years, Donovan was one of several union activists who helped organize an independent union at the Multnomah County Public Library in Portland, Oregon — a 450-worker, 17-facility organization.

Donovan earned a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Michigan. She was a shop steward, union delegate and local officer at several college libraries including Teachers College and Baruch College.

She joined the staff of Local 802 in 1989 and earned a master’s degree in Labor and Policy Studies from Empire State College in 1990.

Donovan has taught labor history at the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies and organizing at Cornell’s Labor Studies Program.

She is also a painter and currently has works at Viridian Artists gallery.

AN ACTOR AND AN ACTIVIST

Lynne Bond passed her 90-day probation on Aug. 14 and has joined the permanent staff as theatre rep.

Prior to coming to Local 802, Bond was a program coordinator at the Consortium for Worker Education (CWE), a nonprofit organization providing educational opportunities to a group of labor unions.

Bond’s tenure at CWE began in 1999 as a teacher of adult education to the rank and file of various unions. A unionized worker herself, she was a member of the Teamsters.

In addition to her experience with CWE, Bond brings many years of experience in the entertainment industry, including work in the recording industry and musical theatre.

Politically active her entire life, she has volunteered with various political and social change organizations.

Bond earned a B.A. in philosophy and theatre from Smith and an M.F.A. in film from Columbia.

She has acted since she was seven years old, and acted Off Off Broadway in 1996 and 1997. She also trained in classical piano for nine years as a child.

Currently, she also teaches in the Communications Department at St. Francis College in Brooklyn.

SINGER, SCHOLAR AND STRATEGIST

Amy Cocuzza passed her 90-day probation on Oct. 3 and joins the permanent staff of 802 as organizer.

She recently earned a master’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell, where she focused her studies on collective bargaining theory and labor and employment law.

During her graduate studies, Cocuzza conducted research on comparative labor movement revitalization and labor education strategies, including work with renowned labor researcher Kate Bronfenbrenner.

Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, she worked for several years as an organizer with 1199 SEIU. She was a researcher for the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). She also has experience working as a lobbyist, advocate and strategist for several not-for-profit organizations.

She earned a B.S. from SUNY (Albany) in biology and bioanthropology.

Cocuzza is an amateur vocalist and pianist with community and college theatre experience.

MACHINISTS, MUSICIANS AND MORE

Frank DeFilippi passed his 90-day probation on Sept. 4 and joins the permanent staff of 802 as Long Island rep.

DeFilippi started his career in the labor movement as a shop steward with the International Association of Machinists at Eastern Airlines.

He was elected chief steward and also elected to his union’s executive board. DeFilippi was a strike leader at Eastern during the strike of 1989.

For several years he was the area director for a regional Long Island local that merged into the UFCW. Later he was elected and served as financial secretary and funds trustee for Ironworkers Local 455 (New York City).

DeFilippi has led numerous high-profile organizing campaigns, been quoted in major news publications, and appeared many times on TV news as a union spokesperson.