Today, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler announced historic appointments to the federation’s leadership team to strengthen our ongoing work to grow the labor movement, empower working people and propel greater organizing nationwide. Starting May 1, Julie Greene Collier will begin serving as chief of staff and will be the first Black woman to ever serve in the role. She will oversee the organization’s staff, program and operations, lead strategic initiatives and ensure that affiliate union priorities and worker voices are represented throughout the AFL-CIO’s programmatic work. Her appointment comes at a time when the labor movement is expanding its outreach in new communities, industries and regions, and centering underrepresented groups in building a fairer economy.
Outgoing chief of staff, Chris Neff—a 30-year veteran of the labor movement—will become strategic adviser to the president, and will continue to provide counsel and guide the officers in the implementation of a comprehensive agenda for working people. Katie Corrigan, who currently serves as the senior adviser for the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, also will start a new role as strategic adviser to the president.
“The labor movement is in the midst of a historic and transformational moment and no one better understands, lives and represents this moment more than my incoming chief of staff, Julie Collier,” said Shuler. “Julie will leverage her invaluable depth of knowledge and experience to strengthen the strategic objectives of the federation. I am excited to continue working alongside her and the entire AFL-CIO staff as we work to build a brighter future for working people and families across this country.
“I am also deeply grateful for the work, insight and expertise of our outgoing chief of staff, Chris Neff. Chris has led a remarkable transition at the AFL-CIO, re-envisioning how the labor movement can uplift and support working people. I am thankful that Chris will be staying on as a senior adviser, along with my new Strategic Adviser Katie Corrigan, to help guide the federation in the important fights ahead.”
Chief of Staff—Julie Collier
Julie most recently served as deputy chief of staff in the Office of the President, where she played a key role in establishing strong management systems that have been foundational to the execution of the federation’s strategies and programs. Her leadership across the AFL-CIO, particularly of the political and field mobilization program, the largest team in the federation, built the trust and confidence of affiliate union leaders and staff, and established her reputation as a thought leader with keen insights into the next generation of our movement. Julie began her career with the labor movement at the AFL-CIO more than 15 years ago and is a longtime political strategist who brings deep knowledge and understanding of the labor movement, government relations, and political campaigns. In 2020, Julie was the AFL-CIO political mobilization director, leading the decisive labor program that helped elect Joe Biden to the White House. Prior to being the federation’s deputy chief of staff, Julie also served in the Biden–Harris administration as assistant U.S. Trade Representative for public engagement in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Senior Adviser to the President—Chris Neff
Chris Neff will transition from her current position as chief of staff to a new role as a senior adviser to the president, where she will continue to support and build out the officers’ vision for the future. She previously made history as the first woman chief of staff at the AFL-CIO, and drove the recruitment of the most talented and diverse team of key advisers and labor strategists in the federation’s history.
Chris’ tenure in the labor movement spans more than three decades. She began her career as a labor lawyer for public and private sector unions and in-house labor counsel and then as international vice president and executive assistant to the international president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Chris then joined the AFL-CIO to serve as executive assistant to then-Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and played a pivotal role in advancing the federation’s finances, operations, technology enhancements in its organizing program, and programmatic work on the women’s economic agenda, the future of work portfolio, and honing our work on racial justice, good clean energy jobs, union growth strategies, workforce development, and retirement security.
Strategic Adviser to the President—Katie Corrigan
Katie brings deep experience in advancing worker rights and unions to her new role as strategic adviser, where she will be instrumental in shaping the federation’s national agenda and priorities. She previously served as special assistant to Liz Shuler during her tenure as secretary-treasurer and as deputy chief of staff to then-President Rich Trumka. In both roles, Katie led key officer priorities, including technology and innovation, the Future of Work and Unions Commission, the women’s economic agenda, groundbreaking convention and governance initiatives, and more.
In her current role as senior adviser for the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, she develops strategies to ensure technology and emerging industry investments lead to good union job creation, new labor organizing opportunities and a more equitable economy.
Contact: Danielle Noel, 202-637-5018