Jennifer Dorning
DPE President
Jennifer Dorning was unanimously elected by the DPE Executive Committee to serve as president beginning September 1, 2018. Jennifer joined DPE in August 2010 previously serving as Assistant to the President and Research Director. Jennifer is the first woman to serve as an AFL-CIO trade department president.
At DPE, Jennifer’s ability to generate new ideas and execute projects strengthened the DPE coalition and helped it to grow. Jennifer brought focus to organizing professionals, leading the DPE staff to create a suite of resources to engage and organize professionals, develop campaigns to generate organizing leads, and survey the attitudes of nonunion professionals toward unions in order to create engaging messages.
Prior to joining DPE, Jennifer served in a number of advocacy-related positions, including as a criminal defense attorney, legislative assistant in the Oregon state legislature, and working on political campaigns for progressive candidates and causes.
Jennifer graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington in 2008 and passed the Oregon bar exam that year. Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon in 2000.
Michael Wasser
Assistant to the President and Legislative Director
Michael Wasser joined DPE in August 2016. At DPE, Michael is responsible for conducting outreach to labor and non-labor organizations, representing DPE before Congress on issues important to professional and technical workers, and working with affiliate unions to identify and advance issues important to professional and technical workers.
Prior to joining DPE, Michael worked for six years at Jobs With Justice (and, previous to its merger, American Rights at Work), serving most recently as senior policy analyst. Michael produced original research and led the organization’s federal policy strategy, monitoring developments related to the workplace and serving as the primary liaison to congressional offices and federal agencies.
Michael has been quoted in or written for a number of media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Hill, Huffington Post, and NPR. He also has been published in the Nevada Law Journal.
Michael is a graduate of the Schreyer Honors College at the Pennsylvania State University, with a bachelor’s degree in labor studies and employment relations and a master’s degree in human resources and employment relations. Michael is an adjunct professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State and is a member of the Labor and Employment Relations Association.
Download high-resolution photo
Katie Barrows
Communications Manager
Katie Barrows joined DPE in November 2016. At DPE, Katie is responsible for managing DPE’s communications, including drafting and publishing press releases, coordinating and responding to media inquiries, and administering DPE’s social media accounts.
Prior to joining DPE, Katie served as communications coordinator for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), where she worked with journalists on stories related to student and faculty rights violations on college campuses.
Katie has also worked as a congressional outreach and research assistant for LegiStorm and as a field organizer for Jay Inslee’s 2012 campaign for governor in Washington state.
Katie graduated cum laude from the University of Washington with a degree in political science in 2012.
Download high-resolution photo