Å®Óźϼ¯ HR Welcomes Four New LER Team Members
Danielle Foster, Director of Labor and Employee Relations, is pleased to announce the expansion of the Labor and Employee Relations (LER) team, which has grown in the last month. These are the four most recent additions.
Lisa Yancey, MPA, SHRM-CP
Lisa has been with the University of Alaska for over 24 years, most recently serving as Interim Chief of Operations in the Å®Óźϼ¯F Provost's Offices. On June 29 she joined Å®Óźϼ¯ Human Resources as Associate Director of Labor Relations. Most of her career has been spent in higher education operations and HR leadership, including roles as Director of Operations for the College of Indigenous Studies (formerly CRCD), Academic and Administrative Affairs Manager, and HR Coordinator — giving her deep, firsthand knowledge of the university system. Her areas of expertise are labor and employee relations, with particular depth in UNAC and UNAD collective bargaining agreement interpretation and administration. Her background includes contract negotiations, faculty workload and tenure processes, change management, conflict resolution, and organizational development.
In her new role, Lisa oversees Labor Relations operations, supports collective bargaining and contract administration, provides guidance on complex labor and employee relations matters, and partners with leadership across the system to promote consistent, legally sound, and collaborative labor relations practices. She is focused on being a trusted resource for leadership, faculty and staff as the university navigates complex labor matters.
Lisa is based in Fairbanks. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her grandbabies, her dogs, fishing, and being out in nature, enjoying the beautiful state she calls home.
Andrea Barton, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Andrea Barton joined the Å®Óźϼ¯ Human Resources team on June 8 as a Labor Relations Specialist based in Anchorage. Andrea has been in Human Resources for over 25 years in a variety of leadership and individual contributor roles. Most of her career has been spent working for large healthcare systems, including Providence and CommonSpirit Health, supporting large, multi-unionized workforces including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Staff Nurses Association (USNU), California Nurses Association (CNA), Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), and International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).
Her areas of expertise are Employee and Labor Relations and HR Operations. Her background includes HR executive leadership, union negotiations, workforce planning, organizational development, change management, and multi-state HR compliance. Throughout her career, she has partnered closely with managers and executive teams to strengthen retention, improve engagement, and ensure compliance in highly regulated, unionized settings.
Her immediate priorities in her new role with Å®Óźϼ¯ are to immerse herself in the university system’s unique culture, operational processes, and institutional knowledge. She is focused on building strong, collaborative partnerships across the campuses, streamlining HR operations, and serving as a trusted resource to support Å®Óźϼ¯â€™s faculty, staff, and overall educational mission.
Coming from Southern California, she is new to Alaska. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, camping, and staying active through exercise and hiking. She loves the outdoors and is enjoying the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Alaska—especially Denali, which she recently experienced for the first time!
Ethan Snyder, JD, MPP
Ethan Snyder has recently rejoined the University of Alaska as a Labor and Employee Relations Investigator on July 6. He has extensive experience conducting complex workplace investigations, advising organizational leaders on employment matters, and fostering fair and respectful workplaces. He plans to support the University of Alaska system by conducting impartial investigations, partnering with university leadership, and helping to resolve complex employee relations matters.
Prior to this new role, Ethan served as a Title IX and Civil Rights Investigator at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Most recently, he served as the Manager of Civil Rights and Title IX at Reynolds School District in Portland, Oregon. Ethan has served in leadership roles focused on civil rights and employment matters at Lewis & Clark Law School, the University of Portland, and TriMet.
Ethan earned his Juris Doctor degree at Lewis & Clark Law School and his Masters in Public Policy at Portland State University.
Ethan looks forward to building strong partnerships across the university system, conducting thorough and objective investigations, and supporting leaders in creating workplaces where employees are treated with fairness, professionalism, and respect.
Outside of work, Ethan enjoys strength training, running, traveling, and exploring new restaurants and wine spots. Most weekends, you can find Ethan outdoors hiking, at the river with friends, or discovering new places to eat.
Jamie Meyer
Jamie Meyer returned to Å®Óźϼ¯ Human Resources on June 29, joining the Labor and Employee Relations team as a new Labor Relations Coordinator. Based in Fairbanks, Jamie began her Å®Óźϼ¯ career in 2022 in Classification & Compensation before most recently serving as HR Manager for Å®Óźϼ¯F Facilities Services.
In that role, Jamie worked closely with L6070 union employees, helping ensure compliance with the terms of their union contract. That experience gave her a solid grounding in contract administration and employee relations, which she'll carry into her new role, where her priority is building strong, collaborative relationships between the university and its union partners.
Outside of work, Jamie enjoys spending time with her family and pursuing photography.
Published in Å®Óźϼ¯ News 7/10/2026