Meet The Team!
Local Union proudly serving Federal employees in Asheville and greater Asheville, North Carolina since 1938
AFGE Local 446
PO Box 19527, Asheville, NC 28815
Contact
(828) 299-5910
afgeoffice@afgelocal446.com
American Federation of Government Employees
Local 446
Brandee Morris
Local President
Brandee Morris has been a VA employee for 20 years. The past 11 years she has become an active union advocate and active member of AFGE Local 446. Currently Brandee is serving her 3rd term as Executive Vice President of the Local. Brandee is also the local political organizer for Local 446, and serves as the Communications Coordinator for the WNC labor council. In her free time Brandee enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and going to Fontana lake.
Ken Towe
Interim Executive Vice President
Ken Towe started his career with the Department of Veterans Affairs in September 2015 at the MACPAC until 2017 when he transferred to the Charles George VAMC. He is a proud 6 year Union member and Steward as well as the Safety Officer for the Charles George VAMC. Ken is an Army combat veteran whom served with the 1/64 Armor Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division from 2002 through 2005. His unit was in Kuwait at the beginning of 2003 on a routine training deployment when it was later decided that his unit would soon be the main spearheading invasion force though the country of Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) with his unit capturing several major objectives of which would include Bagdad International Airport, Bagdad, and Fallujah before returning back stateside. Ken is a Western North Carolina native, being born and raised in Asheville. Ken is also a 11 year Volunteer Firefighter with West Buncombe Fire Department and has served as the post Chaplain for the local Veterans of Foreign Wars organization for the past 12 years. Kens hobbies include NASCAR, football, outdoor activities, and spending time with family.
Maureen Weinmann
Secretary/Treasurer
My Name is Maureen Weinmann and I serve as the Secretary/Treasurer of Local 446. I have been a VA employee for 21 years and currently work in the Billing department at the MACPAC. 12 of those years I have been an active union member of local 446. I was born and raised in New York but have lived in Asheville for 42 years. In my free time I enjoy playing golf and do so as often as possible!
Peter McGuire
Vice President of Professionals
Paul "Skip" Gangemi
Chief of Non Professionals
My name is Paul Gangemi Jr. but I go by Skip, I serve as the Chief Steward of Non-Professionals of Local 446. I started my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Charles George VAMC in May 2017. I joined Local 446 as a member the day I started my employment, and have been an active and proud member ever since. I have always respected what the Union stands for and am very humbled to be an officer of this local. It is not only an honor to serve the Veterans I work for but to also represent the employees who uphold the promise to service our Nations Veterans.
I was born in Oklahoma but moved to Western NC when I was a young child, and I have called these mountains home ever since. Prior to my time at the CGVAMC I was an EMT, Firefighter and Welder by trade. I am an avid outdoorsman, and enjoy carpentry, gardening, farming, and spending time with my family, especially with our beautiful new granddaughter.
Dan deBettencourt
Chief of Nursing
My name is Dan deBettencourt and I serve as the Vice President of Nursing and the Local Political Organizer for Local 446 of the AFGE. I’ve worked as a nurse since 2007 when I got my Nursing Assistant certificate. I became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2008 and started working at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville in 2010. While at the VA I’ve worked as an LPN in Primary Care, Rural Health, and Telehealth, and was detailed to the Emergency Department during the COVID pandemic. I went back to school and got my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2020 and have been working as an RN on 4 West Cardiology & Med/Surg since then. In the past few years, I’ve spent time focused on looking at causes of Health Care Provider burnout and have helped create a task force of nurses focused on creating solutions to burnout within the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System.
I grew up just outside of Boston, Mass and have lived and worked in Asheville since 1995. I enjoy spending time with my family, adventures in the mountains, working on our “little farm” of gardens, chickens and fruit trees and when I get a chance, I enjoy painting and sculpting which you can see on my website at DandeBettencourt.com.
Krissy Case
Vice President of MACPAC
My name is Krissy Case and I serve as the Vice-President of the MACPAC. I began working at the MACPAC in 2010. I became an active member of Local 446 in 2016 and shortly after started working as a steward. I was elected as Chief Steward in 2023 and served a short time prior to being elected as your Vice-President in 2024.
I am a true native to WNC and was born and raised here in Asheville, NC. I enjoy spending my free time watching birds and wildlife in my backyard, doing arts & crafts and visiting craft shows with my friends, short day trips, and spending time with my family. I have a husband of 33 years, and a son & daughter in their mid-20s. I have a dog named CoCo, and a grand-dog named Tank. I am very excited to soon be a Grammy to our first grandchild expected to arrive in December!
Katrin Mooney
Chief Steward
My Name is Katrin Mooney and I am the Chief Union Steward for Job Corps. To include Schenck JCC in Pisgah Forest, NC and LBJ JCC in Franklin, NC. I have been an active Union member for 13 years and more recently was honored to be elected Chief Union Steward. I am lucky to call Brevard, NC home where I have been born and raised and enjoy spending my free time cooking and being with my grandbabies!
Dean Carter
Vice President
My name is Dean Carter. I’m a scientist at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information and a Vice President of NOAA for AFGE Local 446 representing NOAA employees in Asheville, NC. Before joining NOAA in 2011, I served 23 years in the US Air Force. My wife and I split our time between homes in Asheville and Montreat, NC. My hobbies are furniture making, hiking, and traveling.