Monica Russo

Monica Russo is executive vice president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – the largest local union in the country representing more than 350,000 healthcare workers in five states and more than 23,000 healthcare workers in Florida. She led the most successful private sector healthcare union organizing campaign in the southeastern United States, beginning with a small group of nursing home workers and ultimately launching an organizing campaign that founded the Florida branch of 1199SEIU UHE. Under her leadership, 1199SEIU Florida has grown to represent more than 30,000 healthcare workers and retirees in more than 100 hospitals and nursing homes across the state - becoming the largest union of healthcare workers in Florida and the southern United States.

Monica also serves as international vice president of the Service Employees International Union and as president of the SEIU Florida State Council, where she politically unites more than 55,000 active and retired SEIU members from bus drivers and janitors to healthcare workers.

She serves on the South Florida Workforce Investment Board, Florida International University’s Research Institute for Social and Economic Policy, Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz’s Healthcare Working Group, Progress Florida and founded Konbit for Haiti (earthquake relief).