The latest report of misogynistic and unethical workplace conditions under Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson was leveled Tuesday night by Anchorage Health Department employee Andrea Nester.
During an Assembly meeting, Nester testified on a resolution to recognize March as Women’s History Month. Nester spoke of the treatment she endured as a city employee, and the blind eye the city’s human resources department turned when she reported it.
“I can’t forget to mention the misogynistic subjugation of women in the Anchorage health department under a fraudulent and cruel leader, in which I and others filed multiple HR complaints, only to be told by HR it was a leadership style,” Nester said. “I was subject to victim blaming techniques by HR in which I was told I manipulated my supervisors.”
The Assembly meeting just got really spicy with an AHD employee testifying about the “misogynistic subjugation of woman in the Anchorage Health Department.” She described complaints to HR being met with “it was a leadership style.” AHD is at 30% vacancy rate now. Here is why. pic.twitter.com/r6e0hw2Lem
— AKroadweed (@AKroadweed) March 8, 2023
Bronson, who was at the meeting, said nothing in response.
Nester is currently AHD’s Homelessness Program Manager. The health department has struggled with numerous vacancies and a lack of top-level leadership. The department is currently headed by Acting Director Kimberly Rash. Rash told the Assembly in a recent work session that the Health department has a 30% vacancy. Much of the exodus happened under Bronson’s disgraced appointee, former Health Department director Joe Gerace, who lied on his resume to get the position.
An internal audit into the hiring and hasty resignation of Gerace found he fostered a hostile and unprofessional workplace. Bronson promised to do an in-depth investigation on the lack of vetting of Gerace, but has not delivered. He is currently fighting Assembly subpoenas to make the city investigation into Gerace public.
Former city HR Director Niki Tschibaka recently quit, citing a toxic work environment and specifically that he only had a day to vet Gerace.
Tshibaka and Bronson are being sued by former employee Heather MacAlpine for wrongful termination. Prior to her firing, MacAlpine was investigating a complaint against acting library director Judy Eledge. Shortly after MacAlpine was fired, Tshibaka and one of his teenage children showed up to a public meeting wearing “I’m with Judy” t-shirts.
After Nester finished speaking, several Assembly members thanked her and apologized for what she endured.
“These old guys, they are heading out, times are changing,” Assembly member Austin Quinn-Davidson told her. “They know it, and they’re scared.”
