The Teamsters Union has several divisions, including a building material and construction trades Division. Members in this division are truck drivers who transport and haul material, merchandise, equipment or personnel between various locations-including construction sites, manufacturing plants, freight depots, warehouses and wholesale and retail facilities. They may also load and unload, make minor mechanical repairs and keep truck in good working order.
Salafai ‘Susie’ Suafa’i, Program Manager, has been an advocate for women in the trades since 1974 at Women in Apprenticeship in San Francisco where she served as Director from 1976 -1986. From 1988-1993 she served as Women’s Program Coordinator for the Century Freeway Project in Los Angeles and from 1997-2009 she worked on construction sector workforce initiatives across the country for the National Economic Development and Law Center. Susie joined Tradeswomen Inc. in 2012 as Program Manager and retired in 2023 as their TWI Ambassador.
Barbara Dees started her career in IBEW 595 in 1984. As a single mother and foster mom for the majority of her sons’ childhood, she has long understood the rewards of having a career as an electrician. After her sons became adults and started their careers in plumbing and the military, Barbara became a full time volunteer in her local. She was appointed to the 595 executive board in 2013, where she currently holds a position still. She chairs the Women’s Committee in Local 595, she is the President of the Northern California Electrical Workers Minority Caucus and is currently the Vice President of Tradeswomen Inc.
Since 2012, John Brauer has served California’s working men and women as the Workforce and Economic Development (WED) Program Director at the California Labor Federation. WED acts as a workforce intermediary on behalf of its 2,000 affiliated labor unions and 2 million workers throughout the state. For the past seven years, Mr. Brauer has served on the California Workforce Development Board and its Executive Committee. He has also served for 3 years as an appointee of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff to the Oakland Workforce Development Board. In addition, Mr. Brauer serves on the board of the California EDGE Coalition whose mission is to advance state policy and investments that create and sustain pathways into the middle class for all Californians, including individuals facing barriers to economic and social mobility. Mr. Brauer is part of a blended-household, with 6 children that make him proud every day for their contributions to making the world a better place.
Olwyn Brown is a 28-year member of Carpenters Local #713 in Hayward, California. She serves as a Board Member for the Retention Apprentice Mentoring Program (RAMP) and Tradeswomen, Inc., focusing on providing comprehensive support for workers in apprenticeship programs, fostering mentor-peer relationships, and promoting group dynamics for retention success.
Tradeswomen, Inc. was one of California’s pioneering organizations for advancing women in the trades and has since become one of the most impactful and active organizations in the country. Its mission to address the unique needs of women in skilled trades has made a significant impact in the industry.
Olwyn also serves on the board of the California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CPCIDD) and is a council member of the California State Board. In these roles, she contributes to strategic, research-based approaches to identifying key issues and strengths within systems supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
In addition, Olwyn has volunteered with Rebuilding Together for over 20 years, reflecting her dedication to uplifting communities and making a positive impact through hands-on work.
Coming soon.
Terri started her 5-year apprenticeship in 1992 as a Steamfitter with UA local 342. After turning out in 1997 Terri wore many hats in the field from Steward to Project Manager. In the past 30 years you could see Terri serving on the COPE, By-Laws, Work Preservation committees at her union. Terri has spoken at city council meetings, school board meetings as well state legislators as an advocate of women in non-traditional careers. Terri was a Delegate and Executive Board Member of the Central Labor Council Contra Costa County AFL-CIO for 20 years and was awarded Activist of the Year in 2005, as well as Labor Leader of the Year in 2019. During this time Terri also held the role as a Trustee.
Terri enjoys mentoring the women in UA 342, as well as women in other crafts she has met in the field. Terri always looks for opportunities to talk to women about getting into the building trades, so it was no surprise she eventually found herself on the board of Tradeswomen Inc. Tradeswomen Inc. has played a vital roll in the increase of women in the construction industry. Terri was first introduced the TWI in 1994 while an apprentice seeing firsthand the work TWI was doing. Terri is excited for her new roll as President of TWI and will continue the work that others have done before her to honor TWI’s Mission.
Jenn’s career path in construction finance began in 1994, helping facilitate construction of a restaurant chain. She briefly left construction to broaden her skillset at Gulf Coast Workforce Board, a Florida non-profit organization. After four years Jenn returned to her roots in construction. She took a controller position for an established California subcontractor company. After eight years, Jenn saw an opportunity with Swinerton to continue her career goals. Over the last eight years, Jenn amassed more experience, and supplemented that with further education, earning her master’s degree in Business Administration. She currently serves on the Women’s Business Resource Group Committee and passionately strives to enhance opportunities for women in business. Currently the Director of Accounting, Jenn will be transitioning to Human Resources in 2022. As Talent Solution Director she will impact the firm by focusing on employee talents and positioning the workforce to maximize efficiency and job satisfaction.
Joyanna started her construction career working iron in a fabrication shop in 1996. She joined the Field Ironworkers Union Oakland Local 378 in 1998. While working in the field, she ran work as a General Foreman, Welding Foreman, and Raising Gang Foreman. Traveling to Oregon she joined IW Local 29 for 6 years. Her career in the Ironworkers helped her to become an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) where she worked as an inspector for Local 3 Operating Engineers.
Currently, she works for the Field Ironworkers Apprenticeship Program, Locals 377(SF) & 378(Oakland) as an Instructor, Assistant Coordinator, and QC Manager overseeing the welding shops in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. As a 378 union member, she serves on the Executive Board and has served on the Examining Committee. She strives to educate, support, and mentor men and women in the construction trades.
I’m Felicia Templeton. A journeyman Boilermaker out of local 549 in Pittsburg, Ca. I have been a proud member for 27 years. Started my journey in August of 1998 and completed and graduated my apprenticeship in Halloween of 2001. I’m a mother of 6. 3 sons and 3 daughters. I enjoy being part of my union and TWI. The friends I have made through my union and this organization (TWI) has been a blessing. The support we give one another is amazing. I became a boilermaker at first because of my father. He’s now a retired boilermaker and so is my mother. I’m second generation as they would call it. Just hearing of his travels to different states and the people he met sounded like fun. Getting paid to work and getting to see different places was like a dream come true for me. I’m currently working as a weld instructor for my union hall which is a big accomplishment for me. I enjoy teaching and being a mentor for those that are coming up through it trade. I continue to strive to be part of a team that is showing growth in an industry that women can more be a part of.
Rey Zamora has 15 years of experience working as a services coordinator, bilingual psychotherapist, and consultant serving Northern & Southern California areas. Mr. Zamora has been trained to work with minority individuals, families and children who have experienced trauma in their homes, communities, and country of origin. Mr. Zamora is clinically skilled as a trauma-informed psychotherapist, specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy and solution focused therapy. Specializations: Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Domestic Violence and WorkPlace Stress. Currently Mr. Zamora is proudly working toward the completion of his Doctorate in Social Work.
Cheryl Franklin is a graduate of Mills College in Oakland, Calif. She is a mother, grandmother and career woman. Cheryl’s belief and passion is to help women increase their presence in the construction trades, retain their knowledge, skills and abilities to proudly represent working trades women across California and beyond.
Cheryl has worked in the Construction trades for more than twenty years. She attended and graduated from Cypress Mandela Training Center, worked for Operating Engineers Local 3 as a Construction Inspector. She joined EBMUD and worked her way through the ranks as an operator, Union activist and Chief Steward, then on to Construction coordinator, Asst. Supervisor and Shift Supervisor of the Main Oakland Wastewater Plant where she retired in Jan 2022. Cheryl joined Rising Sun Center for Opportunity shortly thereafter as a Construction Instructor. Now at Tradeswomen, Inc. Cheryl continues helping women enter pre- apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.
Denise has been serving as a consultant in operations, administration, and human resources with various businesses for over 25 years, including apparel, wine, finance, and tax to name a few. Denise has successfully worked across the business at all levels, developing trust and building effective partnerships.
Before consulting, Denise served in various roles for C-suite executives and marketing, where she showcased her knack for analyzing data and transforming it into actionable insights. Her proficiency in budget management and organizational skills bolstered her capabilities in crafting data-driven marketing campaigns. Denise has demonstrated her commitment to excellence with her interpersonal skills, and community development. She’s always curious, igniting the drive for innovation to question, explore, and discover new ideas and solutions. Her career journey has equipped her with a holistic skill set that bridges the gap between strategic planning and effective execution. Her passion is giving back and helping team members embrace their journey of skills development and career growth through fairness, trust, and respect.
Denise received her BA in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College and PHR and Ethics certification through the Human Resources Standards Institute. When she isn’t working to solve people challenges or improving operational processes, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering in the community, reading great novels and suspense thrillers with her book club, exploring new places, fussing in the garden, satisfying her taste for good food, and music – all different genres.
Denise is looking forward to contributing to the team and serving the women at Tradeswomen Inc.
Quinesha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10 years of clinical and field experience. She graduated in 2014 with a Master’s degree in Social Work from University of Southern California; with the focus on Mental Health, Military Veterans and Families. Her clinical experience has ranged across settings from structured outpatient programs, project based housing facilities, non-profits, school based programs and government contracted mental health agencies.
Quinesha works diligently to meet the needs of each individual client she works with. She has an eclectic approach, utilizing a variety of techniques and evidence based practices including Solution Focused, Art Therapy, Positive Psychology, Strength-Based and Mindfulness Based Practices. She enjoys working with individuals, families & groups to navigate the challenges of life and to help each client to find more ease and joy in their lives. Outside of mental health; Quinesha offers organization and life skills coaching, enjoys working on her book, reading whatever she can get her hands on and traveling the globe.
Laurissa Miller has 13 years experience working with foster care, adoption, therapy with children with PTSD, Trauma, ADHD, and Autism. Mrs. Miller has been trained to work with families and children that have experienced trauma in their homes, communities and country of origin. Mrs. Miller is clinically skilled with her LCSW. Specializations: Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Domestic Violence, PTSD, ADHD, Foster Care/Adoption and WorkPlace Stress.
Powerful. Survivor. Intentional, are words that represent who DaJohnai Vincson is, who is also known as Daisy. As a Cali native she developed a strong passion for helping build up her community through organizing free of cost events with the help of local churches and schools. DaJohnai worked in her community for 7 years as a teacher assistant at LOCKE EEC and at a local job work source center. DaJohnai received her AA in Human Resources and her BA Degree in Business Administration. Later in life to DaJohnai’s surprise that her path would end up leading her towards the world of non-profit. Where she worked for 8 years in case management, data entry, administrative skills, and management. DaJohnai has run multiple million-dollar grants and has led with high rates of completion. As a woman DaJohnai understands firsthand what it feels like to find your place in this working world as a young woman with so many adversities and she has continued to set the bar high for herself and her community.
Mical Talamantes has worked twenty years in education and student recruitment for the
private college sector. She has extensive experience in academic counseling and sales.
Her professional experience includes case management and partnering with
community-based organizations to provide supportive services to those in need. Born
and raised in Stockton, California, Mical's success comes from overcoming her own
adversity and challenges as a young mother. She is driven by her genuine desire to
help and serve her community by promoting opportunities and change through
education.
Outside of her professional career, Mical enjoys physical fitness training, spending time
with her loved ones and traveling as much as possible. She loves Spanish music and
regularly attends concerts. Mical believes in a healthy lifestyle and living with positive
intentions towards others. She is a new grandmother and looks forward to keeping up
with her grandbabies in the future.
Mical is very excited for the opportunity to join Tradeswomen, Inc. She looks forward to
learning more about the trades industry and growing with the organization.
Almiesha "Miesha" Williams is a determined and compassionate woman with a strong interest in the construction trades. Throughout her life, Miesha has been inspired by family members' journeys in the trades. This lifelong exposure sparked her fascination with the field and drove her to pursue a career in the trades. Miesha received an AA in Liberal Arts and an AS in Criminal Justice. Her 8-10 years of experience performing manual labor in manufacturing plants and factories reinforced her grit and ability to succeed in male-dominated industries.
Dedicated to uplifting her community, Miesha has been involved with several sports programs and community outreach initiatives focused on positive youth development and neighborhood revitalization. As a new team member at Tradeswomen Inc., Miesha is eager to encourage and empower other women to obtain sustainable careers in the skilled trades. By drawing on her perseverance and passion, she hopes to be an advocate for women facing similar workplace challenges. Outside of work, Miesha remains humble, curious and benevolent. She looks forward to the bright future ahead and is excited to make a difference for the next generation of women in the trades.
Anna LoCastro comes to Tradeswomen, Inc. with over 15 years of nonprofit finance experience. After obtaining her B.A. in Business Management from Berkley College of Music she began her career in public accounting but quickly transitioned to nonprofit work where she found she could use both her creative and analytical skills to help organizations through periods of growth and transition. She was part of the team that built the first Pediatric Cancer Department in Gaza and she has grown remote teams from one part-time consultant to an international team of 12 finance and administration professionals.
In her personal life she is a musician, writer and has published a novella and a children's book on empathy and compassion.
Jennifer has been involved in civic activities from a young age; having a father who instilled this duty within her by taking her to City Council meetings, to see a Senator speak when she came to town, to a Governor’s Dinner, and to other political events. Jennifer tutored younger children, from grade school on, and served at food distribution centers to feed the unhoused. Jennifer was on Mock Trial Debate and worked with Junior DAs who coached her high school team. Through this club, Jennifer started phone banking for local city elections.
Jennifer started as a UA Local 342 Steamfitter Apprentice in 2008, becoming a Journeywoman in 2013, and continues to be a member in good standing. She was on the Charitable Works Committee (in her Union) where she helped sort food at the local food bank, build a park in a Richmond neighborhood, and other community projects. Jennifer did phone banking and precinct walking for local elections that her Union supported, and went to the State Capitol with other tradesmen and women to talk to Congresspeople about SB54 (which they passed). Jennifer continues to make herself available as a mentor to other women, and to try to help with education efforts and outreach to grow the female workforce in the building trades.
Felicia Hall, a devoted professional deeply committed to community service and animal welfare, has over a decade of experience spearheading initiatives in her community. Her dedication shines through her work in child abuse prevention and advocacy, notably serving on the Children Services Coordinating Commission for San Joaquin County. Throughout her career, she has led multiple million-dollar initiatives, significantly impacting her community, stabilizing thousands of families in San Joaquin County through rental assistance, homeless prevention programs, and vital services such as CPS, Domestic Violence, and Foster Youth support, alongside facilitating pathways for parental self-sufficiency through job readiness seminars. Felicia's influence extends into fostering community collaboration through initiatives like a community closet, providing essential items like clothing, shoes, car seats, strollers, hygiene products, and school supplies. In her spare time, she gathers donations to feed homeless dogs in her neighborhood, finding happiness in life's simple joys she frequently escapes to the ocean to embrace the crisp sea breeze.
Jennifer Scott is a fourth-generation sheet metal worker who shares the skill and passion for architectural sheet metal with both her parents, grandfather and great-grandfather. Jennifer graduated from the Local 104 apprenticeship in September 2022, but she was brought on as a part-time instructor in her fourth apprenticeship year, a position she held in addition to serving as an architectural foreman for Omni Sheet Metal in San Jose. In April 2023, Jennifer was hired on as a full-time instructor.
Jennifer holds numerous welding certifications as well as Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) 510 and 500, Fire and Smoke Damper Technician, Duct Air Leakage Testing Technician and Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician Level 1. With all the work Jennifer is doing for her local, Jennifer continues to make it a priority to mentor the women in the trade.
Juanita Douglas is the Senior Manager of Construction and Labor Relations for Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, a nonprofit working at the intersection of economic equity and climate resilience in the California Bay Area and San Joaquin County. Juanita creates and develops pathways into state-approved construction apprenticeships for industry-certified apprenticeship readiness program participants from the underserved population. Previously, Juanita spent 30+ years in the field, first as a Commercial Carpenter and then as a Land Surveyor, with additional managerial experience in the Construction Trades. Juanita is an advocate for increasing the number of women in the trades.
Shirell DeFils has 30 years of experience in Carpentry, specializing in Bridge Building and Operable Walls. She was passionate in helping Apprentices complete their 4 years, so to be a Coordinator at the Apprenticeship was her end game plan - before retiring. Through the Carpenters Apprenticeship, Shirell has held positions with the Outreach Department, an Apprentice Coordinator, and Insturctor's Assistant. Her positions held has had her interacting with many dignitaries, event planning, meetings, marches, and attending many Apprenticeship events, while still maintaining active Apprentices. She is sure her new adventure with Tradeswomen, Inc. will be just as gratifying!
"Homegrown" in the Bay Area, Tonya V. Stephens-Fernandez is a career paralegal and executive assistant with extensive experience supporting C-level executives across diverse sectors, including public, private, and nonprofit organizations. With a background in film, food and beverage management, biotech, law, and healthcare, Tonya has developed a strong expertise in managing high-level administrative operations and legal support. Tonya served on the Board of Directors for BAWAR (Bay Area Women Against Rape) for 3 years before joing the staff as their Crisis Intervention Coordinator. Currently working in healthcare, Tonya is passionate about community building, fundraising, and advocating for women in the trades, striving to create opportunities for professional development and empowerment in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Debra Vasquez has devoted 39 years to a distinguished career in the construction industry, during which she established affiliations with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) and District Council 16 Local Union 12 (carpet, linoleum, and soft tile workers). As a Union Commercial Installer, she attained her Journeywoman's Card, and her outstanding abilities facilitated her first-place victory in the Local Apprenticeship Contest. This success enabled her to compete nationally, where she secured first place in the Carpet Division.
Throughout her tenure with the Union, Debra held the position of Floor Covering Apprenticeship Training instructor and subsequently advanced to Lead Foreman, overseeing a variety of projects in the Bay Area. In the final five years of her career with District Council 16 Local Union 12 at Preston Homes Inc., she was elevated to the role of Superintendent. Notably, she is acknowledged as the first female retiree from Local Union 12 to receive a full pension.
Debra continues to contribute to the Union and is dedicated to enhancing women's engagement in the industry and fostering opportunities for women interested in pursuing blue-collar careers within the Unions.
Joyce guy has been a longtime supporter of Trades Women Inc. Her first encounter with the women in the trades was with an agency called women and apprenticeships that was based out of San Francisco CA in 1980. Joyce Guy is also an army veteran who has been stationed in various places overseas and the United States. Her union construction career started with her working in the local shipyards and then moving over to iron workers local 378 and is now a proud retired member. She has worked for the Alameda County building trades council, Alameda County central labor council, California State building trades and is now the Executive Director of the West Oakland Job Resource Canter, which assists people from the greater and getting into the construction and building trades. Joyce Guy has always been a strong supporter of women in nontraditional roles of employment. Over the years the West Oakland job Resource Center has partnered with Trades women's Inc on various projects such as grants and hosting women workshops and informational trainings. I look forward to supporting such an amazing organization as they do the good work regarding women and non-traditional / construction jobs.
