On March 1, the United Steelworkers (USW) union made history with the installation of Roxanne Brown as International President. She is the first woman and first person of color to lead the major industrial union since it was founded in 1942. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in White Plains, N.Y., Brown has been a USW member for 27 years and has served as USW international vice president since 2019. For more information watch President Brown’s interview with Pittsburgh television station WTAE.
Women also hold prominent roles in the Teamsters and Rail Conference affiliates BLET and BMWED. Lindsay Dougherty serves as Vice President At-Large for the IBT. Staci Moody-Gilbert is Vice President of BMWED’s Northwest Region. In 2022, BLET’s Megan Mead was elected to the office of Alternate National Secretary-Treasurer, becoming the first woman to win election at the National Division level since BLET was founded in 1863. Sister Mead also serves as Director of the BLET’s Record and Compliance Department.