The daughter of an immigrant farmworker and a nurse, Lorena learned the value of hard work and determination ...]]> In January of 2008, Lorena Gonzalez became the Secretary-Treasurer and CEO for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The Labor Council is a coalition of 135 local unions that represent more than 200,000 working families in the region. Upon her election, Lorena became the first woman and first person of color to serve as head of the Labor Council since the organization’s inception in 1891.

The daughter of an immigrant farmworker and a nurse, Lorena learned the value of hard work and determination at an early age. After graduating from Vista High School in San Diego County, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Stanford University, a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University and a Law Degree from UCLA.

Prior to coming to the Labor Council, Lorena worked as the Senior Advisor to California’s Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. She served as a consultant to the Commission on Economic Development, and was the Lt. Governor’s principal advisor on policy issues dealing with labor, the environment, energy and infrastructure. Lorena was also the Lt. Governor’s appointee to the California State Lands Commission from 2000 to 2006 and served as San Diego City Councilman Ben Hueso’s alternate to the Coastal Commission in 2007 and 2008.

A member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 36, Lorena worked as the Labor Council’s Political Director before being elected Secretary-Treasurer. She was elected the National Co-Chair and Western Regional Chair of the AFL-CIO State Labor Federation/Central Labor Council Advisory Committee, is a Vice-President of the California Labor Federation Executive Council, serves on the national AFL-CIO General Board, as well the Boards of Directors for the Center for Policy Initiatives, the Planning and Conservation League, and the United Way of San Diego.

Lorena was awarded the Labor Leader of the Year Award by both the John S. Lyons Foundation and the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, the UFCW Local 135 Unity Award, Empower San Diego’s Progressive Champion Award, Leadership California’s Community Leadership Award, the Mayor George Moscone Civil Rights Award, and named Assemblyman Ben Hueso’s Woman of the Year.

Nonetheless, Lorena’s most cherished title is that of mother. She lives in the City of San Diego’s Sherman Heights neighborhood with her two children – Tierra and Antonio.