Karen Ackerman

Karen Ackerman, "Political Director of the AFL-CIO, has been active in the Labor Movement for more than 30 years. In the early 70's, she organized hospital workers in Philadelphia and went on to organize clerical and white-collar workers for District 65 UAW. She later joined the CWA organizing clerical and telephone workers. In 1986, the New York State Public Employees Federation, a 60,000 member state workers local affiliated with the AFT and SEIU, tapped her as Political Director.

"As campaign manager for Lydia Velazquez in 1992, Ackerman ran a successful campaign against incumbent Steven Solarz. She became Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Velazquez and remained in that position until 1996, when Steve Rosenthal asked her to direct the Labor '96 program. In March of 2003, Karen was named Political Director of the AFL-CIO and put together the largest labor grassroots political program."


 * Director, Progressive Majority