Stephanie M Stewart for Director of Health Benefits

Stephanie began her career 31 years ago after being hired as a letter carrier for the Morgan Street Station in Des Moines, Iowa in April of 1995. Knowing the importance of a union, she quickly joined Central Iowa Merged Branch 352. 

 

Over the years, Stephanie served the membership of Branch 352 in various roles, including Vice President, Trustee, Shop Steward, Formal A, OWCP Officer and safety captain before she went on to serve as Branch President from 2013-2015. 

 

Stephanie has always loved a challenge and finding new ways to represent letter carriers became her passion. 

 

While serving as a branch representative, she served the carriers across Iowa as a route inspection representative on behalf of the National Business Agents Office from 2005-2015 and became an Arbitration Advocate in 2012. She also represented carriers throughout the district by serving as an EAP committee member, carrier academy instructor and master facilitator, safety task force member and by being on the ergonomics team. 

 

During this time, Stephanie also became active in the Iowa State Association and was elected to serve as the Vice President and Director of Education from 2011-2015. 

 

In 2021, Stephanie was recognized for her impact on Letter Carriers across Iowa, and beyond, when they honored her as a member of the Iowa State Association of Letter Carriers Hall of Fame. 

 

Stephanie’s drive to help all letter carriers led to her appointment as a Regional Administrative Assistant for Reg. 5, in 2015. She served in this role until being appointed as the Director of Health Benefits, in September 2018. 

 

Stephanie has continued her passion to help our members, is a trusted advocate for letter carriers, and is endorsed by health benefit representatives nationwide for her leadership at the Heath Benefit Plan. 

 

Her experience navigating the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requirements and the legal complexity of the Federal Employees Health Benefit program (FEHB) is unmatched. Through her time at the Health Plan, she has become known as a leader who can get things done. She has fulfilled the long-standing promise to create a second shift to extended customer service hours, expanded coverage options for our annuitant members by creating a Medicare Advantage option, modernized our health care by adding a wide variety of new cutting-edge health and wellness programs, and developed the first NALC Heath Benefit Plan member portal and mobile app. 

 

Under her leadership, the health plan has increased postal enrollment year over year. Stephanie’s knowledge and expertise led the plan through a life changing pandemic and the plans transition to the Postal Service Health Benefit Program. 

 

Our union needs strong, trusted leaders with the experience necessary to advance the interests of all letter carriers.  Stephanie has the qualifications, heart and drive to continue her efforts to improve our health plan and will work tirelessly to accomplish the health plans constitutional mission, to unite all members in good standing into our Plan.