Erkeisha Terry
Director, Labor & Regional Engagement
United Way Worldwide
Erkeisha Terry has been employed with United Way for 21 years and currently serves as Director of the National Labor Partnership and Regional Engagement Director for five states in the Midwest with United Way Worldwide. Her experience includes cultivating and strengthening United Way and labor partnerships across the country as well as initiating processes to achieve goals to support labor staff. A portion of her responsibilities include developing strategies to enhance the relationship with the National AFL-CIO. She has an extensive organizing background and passion for economic justice and financial stability for those experiencing poverty and food insecurity in communities. After 10 years as a Labor Liaison at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) in Detroit, Erkeisha was promoted to Director of the Labor Department in Michigan. As the Director of Labor Relations, she continues to cultivate labor relationships nationally and locally.
As a liaison at UWSEM she worked with unions across the region encouraging advocacy, volunteerism, and workplace giving. Erkeisha coordinated the annual Union Community Activist Network (UCAN) training program in Southeast Michigan by bringing together union members and subject matter experts to create a distinct learning experience for participants to learn about United Way and labor across the region. Along with her labor duties she also works with the Global Network Advancement Team (GNAT) promoting the Thriving United Way Framework. Her goal is to help meet small local United Ways where they are, while providing aspirational direction to advance their organization.
Ms. Terry began her journey into activism as an AFL-CIO Union Summer Intern and later as an International Organizer with Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Erkeisha joined SEIU Health Care Michigan as their Organizing Director (formerly Local 79). She empowered workers in the healthcare industry to raise their collective voices by guiding them through the process of organizing unions in several facilities throughout the Mid-West Region.
Erkeisha is a native of Augusta, Georgia, and has a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Augusta State University.
As a liaison at UWSEM she worked with unions across the region encouraging advocacy, volunteerism, and workplace giving. Erkeisha coordinated the annual Union Community Activist Network (UCAN) training program in Southeast Michigan by bringing together union members and subject matter experts to create a distinct learning experience for participants to learn about United Way and labor across the region. Along with her labor duties she also works with the Global Network Advancement Team (GNAT) promoting the Thriving United Way Framework. Her goal is to help meet small local United Ways where they are, while providing aspirational direction to advance their organization.
Ms. Terry began her journey into activism as an AFL-CIO Union Summer Intern and later as an International Organizer with Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Erkeisha joined SEIU Health Care Michigan as their Organizing Director (formerly Local 79). She empowered workers in the healthcare industry to raise their collective voices by guiding them through the process of organizing unions in several facilities throughout the Mid-West Region.
Erkeisha is a native of Augusta, Georgia, and has a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Augusta State University.
