Worker Institute Advisory Council
Pablo Alvarado
- Co-Executive Director, National Day Laborer Organizing Network
As a youth, Pablo Alvarado was raised in a village lacking running water and electricity.
Vincent Alvarez
- President, New York City Central Labor Council (NYCCLC)
Vincent Alvarez was elected as the NYCCLC’s first full-time President and first Latino President in 2011, and was re-elected in 2015 and 2019.
Stuart Appelbaum
- President, RWDSU
Stuart Appelbaum became President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union on May 1, 1998. He was reelected in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
LeRoy Barr
- Secretary & Staff Director, UFT
LeRoy Barr is the UFT's secretary and also serves as staff director, overseeing the daily operation of the union’s extensive field organization and both the pedagogical and non-ped
Mario Cilento
- President, NYS AFL-CIO
As a member of the Newspaper Guild-CWA since 1990, Mario Cilento has a long history of fighting for working men and women.
Al Davidoff
- Director of Organizational and Leadership Development at the Solidarity Center
Al Davidoff is the Director of Organizational and Leadership Development at the Solidarity Center, the US labor movement's global arm, with 280 staff in over 60 countries.
Peter de Jesus Jr.
- President, Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Peter De Jesus Jr. is a prominent labor leader and advocate for workers’ rights in Western New York.
John Durso
- President, Long Island Labor Federation and Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW
John R.
Christopher Erikson, Sr.
- Business Manager, IBEW Local 3 and Chairman, International IBEW Executive Council
Christopher Erikson was born in Flushing, New York on August 24, 1955. He was accepted into the Electricians Apprentice Program in July of 1975.
Henry Garrido
- Executive Director, DC 37 AFSCME
Henry A. Garrido is the first Latino to head DC 37, the largest municipal employees union in New York City.
George Gresham
- President SEIU 1199
George Gresham, PhD, was born in Virginia and his family moved north to New York City when he was young.
Mike Hellstrom Jr.
- Vice President and Eastern Region Manager, LIUNA
Mike Hellstrom serves as vice president and eastern regional manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA). He succeeds Raymond M.
Allison Julien
- Organizing Director, We Dream in Black, National Domestic Workers Alliance
Allison Julien is a third generation domestic worker who migrated from Barbados in the early 1990’s and worked as a nanny in New York City for over 25 years.
Gary LaBarbera
- President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York
- President, New York State Building and Construction Trades Council
Gary LaBarbera has served since 2009 as president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, an organization comprising local affiliates of 15 national an
Richard Lanigan
- President OPEIU
Richard Lanigan was elected to serve as president of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, at its 27th Convention in June 2016.
Olivia Leirer
- Chief of Staff & Deputy Director, New York Communities for Change
Olivia was among the first to join the staff of New York Communities for Change when the organization was founded in 2010.
Matt Loeb
- International President IATSE
Matthew D. Loeb has served as International President since July 31, 2008, when he was unanimously elected by the IATSE General Executive Board.
Dan Maloney
- President Rochester-Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation
President of the Rochester Labor Council and Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation. He is also President of United Auto Workers Local 1097.
Brandon Mancilla
- Director, UAW Region 9A
Brandon Mancilla was elected UAW Region 9A Director in December 2022 in the first ever direct elections for the International Executive Board.
Nadia Marin-Molina
- Co-Executive Director of NDLON
Nadia Marin-Molina is the Co-Executive director of the National Day Laborer Network (NDLON), leading the workers' centers and workers' rights areas of work.
Rich Maroko
- President, Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO
Rich Maroko is the President of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO, the union representing 40,000 workers in the hotel and gaming industries in New York and New Jersey.
Theodore Moore
- Executive Director, ALIGN
Theodore Moore (he/him) is the Executive Director of ALIGN, setting the organization’s strategic vision for worker power and climate justice, leading engagement with campaigns and
John Murphy
- International Representative, NYS Pipe Trades Association (NYSPTA)
John J. Murphy was initiated into the membership of the former Plumbers Local Union No. 2, the home Local of George Meany, in January of 1984.
Manny Pastreich
- President, 32BJ SEIU
Before becoming President, Manny was 32BJ’s director of bargaining and Secretary Treasurer.
Melinda Person
- President, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
Melinda Person is the president of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the nearly 700,000-member union representing people who work in, or are retired from, New York’s schools,
Dr. Teófilo Reyes
- President, Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United
Teófilo Reyes leads ROC United’s efforts to build worker power, professionalize the restaurant industry, and advance the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights.
Henry Rubio
- President, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
Henry Rubio began serving as the President of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators on January 1, 2023, after having served as the union’s Executive Vice President a
John Samuelsen
- International President Transport Workers Union
John Samuelsen represents over 150,000 members across the airline, railroad, transit, universities, utilities, and services sectors.
Lucas Sánchez
- Co-Executive Director, New York Communities for Change
Lucas Sánchez is the Co-Executive Director of New York Communities for Change, one of the largest community-based organizations in New York.
Liz Shuler
- President, AFL-CIO
Elizabeth H. Shuler is president of the 57 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO.
Maritza Silva-Farrell
- Program Office, Future of Work(ers) Programs
Maritza Silva-Farrell is a program officer with the Future of Work(ers) Program, leading the worker power and capital strategies portfolio.
James Slevin
- National President, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)
James T. Slevin, President the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, was elected July, 2019.
Erica Smiley
- Executive Director Jobs with Justice
Erica Smiley is the executive director of Jobs With Justice.
Wayne Spence
- President, Public Employees Federation
Wayne Spence was born on the island of Jamaica. At the age of 10, he immigrated to the United States, and has called the New York City area his home ever since.
Dennis Trainor
- Vice-President Communications Workers of America District 1
Dennis G. Trainor is Vice President of CWA District 1.
Randi Weingarten
- President American Federation of Teachers
RANDI WEINGARTEN is president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, which represents teachers; paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; hi
Nia Winston
- President, UNITEHERE Local 24 MI/OH
- General Vice President, UNITEHERE International
Nia Winston is President of UNITEHERE Local 24, Michigan/Ohio.
Alvin Vincent Jr.
- Executive Director, Actors' Equity Association
Alvin Vincent, Jr. is Actors' Equity Association's Executive Director.
Richard Davis
- Secretary-Treasurer, Transport Workers Union Local 100
Davis is a driving force in the powerful Transport Workers Union Local 100, which is widely recognized as one of the preeminent labor organizations in New York and around the country.