IPS21 Higher Education Issues

Nicholas Christen Related Seminars and Products

General Counsel & Director of Field and Organizing

Illinois Federation of Teachers

Melissa Mlynski Related Seminars and Products

Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources

University of Illinois Springfield

Melissa Mlynski is the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), a position she has held since December of 2016.  In this role she oversees all aspects of Human Resources for UIS, including Labor and Employee Relations. She has served as the lead negotiator for the university during bargaining with the union that represents tenured/tenure track faculty as well as negotiating other union contracts on behalf of the university. For ten years, she served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at UIS teaching graduate courses in labor and administrative law.  Previously, Ms. Mlynski was the Executive Director of the Illinois Labor Relations Board from June of 2012 through December of 2016.  She has extensive experience representing public employers in collective bargaining, labor arbitrations and cases before the Illinois Labor Relations Board, including more than 10 years as labor relations counsel for the Department of Central Management Services.  Ms. Mlynski also worked in private practice representing public employers in labor and employment law matters.  Ms. Mlynski received her B.A. in English from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.   

Andrew Slobodien Related Seminars and Products

Associate Director, Labor and Employee Relations

University of Illinois at Chicago

Andrew Slobodien is currently Associate Director for Labor and Employee Relations at University of Illinois – Chicago.  In this role, he is lead negotiator and administrator of contracts with the U of I hospital’s unions (residents, nurses, security, support workers) and UIC police and faculty unions.  Previously, Andrew was Managing Attorney for Labor Relations at Chicago Public Schools where he lead a team of lawyers defending the district’s grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice cases.  Before joining the public sector in 2013, Andrew was a partner at the international law firm Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, where he advised and litigated on behalf of management on labor and employment matters. Andrew received a B.A. from Haverford College, an M.A. from the Univesity of Chicago and a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.