The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly has named Christian Fern as its new executive director, effective Dec. 1.

He succeeds Kristeen Hanselman, who joined UHPA in December 2007.

UHPA is the union that represents about 3,700 faculty across 10 University of Hawaii campuses statewide.

According to a press release Wednesday, Fern has served as an associate executive director with UHPA since July 2015.

“Hanselman will continue to serve as executive director, a position she has held for the past four years, to ensure a smooth leadership transition,” UHPA says.

Fern previously worked for HMSA and Kaiser Permanente and as a legislative intern and later committee clerk for the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

He is a Punahou School graduate and received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa. He completed the Advanced Labor Studies Program at Rutgers University.

Fern also serves as chair of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.