Kevin Abels

Kevin joined FRESC as Executive Director in January 2011 after five and a half years with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 in Denver. There he led union staff and workers within the healthcare and property service industries to organize unions, negotiate collective bargaining agreements and resolve contract violations. Kevin also contributed to the implementation and strengthening of the labor management partnership at Kaiser Permanente, one of the only collaborations of its kind. At SEIU Local 105, he directed a program of member engagement to develop the leadership of members in their union, their communities, and the political process. Previously, Kevin worked as a community organizer on campaigns including healthcare reform, day laborer rights, and municipal budget cuts. As a student at Yale, Kevin organized for the community benefits campaign at Yale-New Haven Hospital with FRESC’s sister organization, Connecticut Center for a New Economy.