MATC announces new board members to their 212/Fast Fund

The Local 212 MATC FAST FUND recently appointed to its Board of Directors DAAR Engineering Inc. Chairman and CEO Abdulhamid Ali; Milwaukee Area Technical College student Nicole Christian; Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper former President Lynda Jackson Conyers; and Milwaukee Area Technical College retired English and History faculty Charlie Dee.

Abdulhamid Ali is the Chairman and CEO of DAAR Engineering Inc. With a career spanning more than 15 years with the Wisconsin Department of transportation, Ali has held and rapidly ascended through positions as an Advanced Engineer; Project Development Supervisor, District Chief, and Project Development Chief. In 2001, Ali co-founded DAAR Engineering, Inc. Ali has managed multi-million-dollar transportation improvement programs, supervised and mentored engineers and technicians, and served on multiple administrative, technical, and management committees. Ali graduated from Marquette University- Milwaukee in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering. He previously served on the MATC District Board.

Nicole Christian is a current student who is on the staff of the Local 212 MATC Fast Fund. She is a Human Service student at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, where she is studying to become a Substance Abuse Counselor.

Lynda Jackson Conyers is the former president and publisher of the Milwaukee Times Newspaper. With a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, Conyers began her career teaching at a junior high in her hometown. She eventually entered into the world of business, assisting her husband in the publishing of the Milwaukee Times, a newspaper that serves the Black community. Conyers has been a tireless and effective advocate for people of color. In 1988, Conyers assisted in establishing a journalism scholarship for minority students, with more than $550,000 awarded to date. In 1992, she launched the largest black-owned printing, sign, and banner shop in the city of Milwaukee. In 1995, Conyers initiated the Black Excellence Awards Ceremony that has honored nearly 1,100 individuals to date.

Charlie Dee is the co-founder of the Wisconsin Nordic Network. He has taught in the English and History Departments for 33 years at Milwaukee Area Technical College. During that time, he served as a faculty union leader. An activist with many different talents, Dee has published articles on both politics and sports, had his own radio talk show, and was a monthly columnist for the Milwaukee Journal. Dee earned his bachelor’s degree at Denison University and his master’s in American Studies from the University of Iowa

The Local 212 MATC FAST Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides quick financial assistance to Milwaukee Area Technical College students experiencing economic emergencies. Initiated by the American Federation of Teachers Local 212 in 2016,