Ramón Becerra
Executive Director
Ramón Becerra
Executive Director
Ramón Becerra has a diverse background in several fields spanning from community engagement to political advocacy, union leadership, and government affairs.
Post-military, he immersed himself in the competitive political arena of Chicago, serving in the electrician’s union, Local 134, where he honed his skills as an organizer and business representative. Ramón was appointed as the senior strategic advisor to the AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka, and then served as the mobilization director at the National AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, he supervised the AFL-CIO’s political program, which included the fifty-state map plus Puerto Rico. The other divisions of work supervised by Ramón included field mobilization, governance and training, national issue campaigns, civil, human, and women’s rights, and state and local policy.
Ramón’s accomplishments are vast, ranging from successfully mobilizing labor movements at state and local levels to key roles in impactful campaigns such as the 2020 Georgia special Senate elections, the 2018 Missouri campaign against "Right to Work," and the 2017 deployment of skilled union volunteers to aid in Hurricane Maria's aftermath in Puerto Rico. His strategic acumen is further highlighted by the Wisconsin Senate District 21 recall election in 2012 and Ohio's historic citizens veto referendum in 2011. Ramón has also been involved in numerous international initiatives.
Notably, Ramón played a crucial role in coordinating the AFL-CIO's response to the COVID-19 crisis, including the yearlong national mobilization that led to the passage of President Biden's American Rescue Plan. He also directed floor operations at the AFL-CIO's 2022 Convention, resulting in the historic election of President Liz Shuler as the first woman president of the AFL-CIO. His extensive philanthropic contributions, including raising millions for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, further underscore his dedication to community well-being.
In 2022, Ramón founded RB Strategies, specializing in political, legislative, and community mobilization globally, with a particular focus on Spanish-speaking countries and communities. Ramón has consulted on international presidential campaigns and other international matters. Under RB Strategies, Ramón served as campaign manager of TREAT California’s mental health ballot initiative under the direction of the campaign chair and founder, Jeannie Fontana, MD, PhD. The TREAT California ballot initiative, aiming to help millions of people suffering from mental health disorders, stands out as his most recent project of monumental proportions. He is now serving as a senior advisor to TREAT Humanity, a foundation addressing the global mental health crisis.
Ramón is currently serving as the executive director of Union Energy, Pennsylvania.
Paul H. Lemmon
Policy Director
Paul H. Lemmon
Policy Director
Paul is a third generation UMWA coal miner from Western, PA who has extensive experience in union leadership and organizing.
After graduating from college, he entered the coal mines. He became a member of UMWA Local 2874 and served in numerous local union offices. In 1981, he was elected to the position of UMWA District 5 Secretary-Treasurer. He served three terms in this position and was elected without opposition for his last two terms. As Secretary-Treasurer, Paul oversaw financial responsibilities, file maintenance, contract enforcement, negotiations, strike activities, and political activities.
In 1993, Paul was appointed to the international staff of the UMWA as a field representative. A year later, he was named deputy director of organizing for UMWA Region I, which includes the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. While Paul was primarily responsible for union organizing, he also managed strike activities and rank-and-file education programs. In 1994, Paul lead one of the largest organizing drives in UMWA since the 1940s by successfully organizing Remington Arms in Ilion, New York.
Paul took a position as a field representative with the National AFL-CIO in 1996. He worked for the organization for more than 20 years and served in numerous positions including Midwest Region political and legislative coordinator, state director for the National AFL-CIO in Pennsylvania, and national political field director. In 2007, Paul began the first of two terms as executive assistant to Richard Trumka. He oversaw Trumka’s election to the AFL-CIO presidency in 2009 as well as his subsequent reelections in 2013 and 2017.
Paul served as the special executive assistant to President Trumka and as the AFL-CIO national programs manager. He also served as Trumka’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2021.
As a consultant, Paul is a renowned field organizer who helped labor unions win key victories in Illinois, Missouri and Ohio. Paul helped draft strategy and facilitated relationships while serving as a consultant for the National AFL-CIO Campaigns and Political Department, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Investment Trust Corporation, and the Union Sportsmen Alliance.
Beginning in April 2024, Paul has served as the policy director for Union Energy of Pennsylvania.
He is married to Anna Marie (Iddings) Lemmon with four children and seven grandchildren. Over his storied career, Paul has received numerous accolades including being honored as the Southwestern PA Italian-American labor leader of the year. He has served on the National Trustee UMWA Education Fund and as a California University trustee.
