Opening Plenary: How Will This Election Cycle Influence Public Sector Labor Relations

Nicholas Christen Related Seminars and Products

General Counsel & Director of Field and Organizing

Illinois Federation of Teachers

Nicholas Christen is the General Counsel and Director of Field and Organizing at the Illinois Federation of Teachers. He advises leaders and staff on issues affecting the 100,000+ members of the union, including collective bargaining, organizing, discipline, discrimination, organizing, healthcare, and retirement. Nicholas has successfully advocated before private and public sector labor boards, resolved difficult legislative and administrative roadblocks impacting workers’ rights, led negotiations for units large and small in high-stakes negotiations, and advocated for union members from the shop floor to the Court of Appeals. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Miami University and his J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law.

Stacy Davis Gates Related Seminars and Products

Vice President/Executive Vice President

Chicago Teachers Union/Illinois Federation of Teachers

Stacy Davis Gates is the Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union and the Executive Vice President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. Prior to her current role at the CTU, she served as the union’s Political and Legislative Director. In the fall of 2019, she helped to lead a 15-day strike and to negotiate an historic contract that provides for smaller class sizes, ensures a nurse and social worker in every Chicago public school, secures sanctuary protections for immigrant families, and supports students and families experiencing homelessness. While at the CTU, Ms. Davis Gates has been the architect of bold political and legislative campaigns for the schools and city that all Chicagoans deserve. She has raised millions of dollars to elect classroom teachers to all levels of local government and to challenge school privatizers and union-busters. Ms. Davis Gates has also spearheaded statewide legislative campaigns to pass the strongest charter school accountability measures in the country, push for the restoration of the bargaining rights of Chicago Public Schools employees, and fully fund public education by ending tax loopholes for the 1%. In 2017, Ms. Davis Gates was elected Chair of United Working Families, an independent political organization by and for working-class people and our movements. She also serves as a board member for the Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE), a nexus for organizations working at the intersection of the struggle for racial justice and Wall Street accountability. Ms. Davis Gates is currently on leave from the classroom, where she taught high school social studies for over a decade at Englewood, Clemente, and Mason Community Links High Schools. She attended Saint Mary’s College, the University of Notre Dame, and Concordia University. Ms. Davis Gates lives on the South Side of Chicago with her husband and three children.

James C. Franczek Jr. Related Seminars and Products

Franczek PC

James C. Franczek, Jr. is a founding partner and President of Franczek P.C. His clients include scores of private and public sector employers, including clients in the education, hospitality, banking, and energy industries. Jim and his firm represent many of Chicago’s most iconic cultural institutions, including the Obama Presidential Center. Jim has served six of Chicago’s Mayors as chief outside labor counsel and in that capacity has negotiated labor contracts for the City of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, Navy Pier, Inc., the Chicago Park District, and, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (McCormick Place).

Jim is frequently recognized and honored as one of Chicago’s preeminent labor and employment lawyers. He has been profiled in numerous publications, including the University of Chicago Law School Record and a “My Chicago Law Moment.” Jim’s contributions to Chicago have been noted in three scholarly books addressing major initiatives in the City.

Jim is a popular speaker on labor, employment, and education law and is a former lecturer at the University of Chicago, Northwestern Business School, Loyola University, Northeastern University, and IIT-Kent School of Law. He has lectured on labor law at the University of Chicago Law School and at Northwestern University School of Law. Jim has appeared on television as a commentator on labor topics and is often quoted in the media on professional and educational issues.

Jim is a member of The Commercial Club of Chicago; The Chicago Club; the Economic Club of Chicago; and, the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Jim serves as a member of the boards of Advance Illinois and G-PAC, a leading anti-gun organization.

Jim is a 1971 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a 1968 graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

Arnaldo Rivera Related Seminars and Products

Chief Administrative & Equity Officer

Navy Pier

Arnie Rivera joined Navy Pier in May 2021 as the Chief Administrative and Equity Officer, a newly created role overseeing key administrative functions, including Arts, Culture, & Engagement; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Resource Development; Marketing & Communications; Strategy & Planning; People and Culture; and Data Analytics. He is also the Chairman of the Board of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, having been appointed to the role by Governor Pritzker in February 2023. As stated in the Authority’s By-Laws, he also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority.
He previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), where he was responsible for overseeing the operations of the third largest public-school system in the country. His responsibilities included managing 700 schools, modular buildings, annexes, and administrative offices across the district. He also developed and executed the strategic planning and budget process for more than $2.5 billion in capital construction between 2018-2021, the largest three-year outlay in the history of the district.
Under his leadership, CPS successfully implemented a comprehensive nutrition program, the third largest K-12 food service program in the United States, serving 62 million meals to students each year. He also managed other critical divisions on behalf of CPS, including student transportation, safety and security, procurement, and information technology. In addition, he led the teams that successfully negotiated the past three collective bargaining agreements with the Chicago Teachers Union.
Arnie’s previous roles include Senior Strategic Advisor for After School Matters and Chief Operating Officer for the Chicago Public Education Fund. At After School Matters, he was responsible for the development and management of a long-term growth strategy to support the organization’s growth from 20,000 students to more than 30,000 students in a five-year period. As COO at Chicago Public Education Fund, he successfully led the execution of the organization’s development strategy, helping raise $20 million for the Fund. In addition to his work in the nonprofit space, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Education for former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He also worked as a financial analyst for Lehman Brothers, Inc. in New York City at the onset of his career. He later transitioned to become a CPS teacher through the Golden Apple Teacher Education (GATE) Program, an alternative teacher certification program.
In 2018, he was named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ coveted 40 under 40 list. His Chicago area roots extend to his time as a student at Northwestern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Master of Science in Education and Social Policy.