Career Paths After Internships

Dupe (Dee) Bradford
Human Resource Management and Whistleblower Compliance, SFSU  

While pursuing her Labor and Employment Studies degree at SFSU, Dee worked at Kaiser Permanente and served as a shop steward for Service Employees International Union (SEIU), advocating for her coworkers and strengthening her passion for labor rights. She was awarded the Ernest Dillard Labor Studies Scholarship and, with Professor John Logan’s encouragement, began her post-graduation career as an Administrative Office Coordinator in SFSU’s College of Science and Engineering (COSE). She was quickly led to a promotion as Assistant to the Associate Deans at COSE.

Today, Dee serves in the Human Resources (HR) division at SFSU, where she was recently promoted to HR Manager of Regulatory Programs and Whistleblower Compliance. Deeply committed to giving back, she continues to support Labor Studies students in gaining meaningful work experience and advancing their careers.

Michelle Flores
Deputy Director of Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, San Mateo County

Michelle worked at Safeway full-time while pursuing her Labor and Employment Studies degree at SFSU. She became the “public face” of San Francisco’s first in the nation Retail Workers Bill of Rights and was profiled in the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and Mother Jones. Michelle received the national Jobs with Justice Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award on behalf of workers who campaigned for the ordinance, and the Dillard SFSU Labor Studies student Scholarship.

After graduation, she worked for Local 2 and, through Professor John Logan’s global union connections, worked with UNI Global Union in Geneva. Upon returning to the U.S., she contributed to a UC Davis farmworker research project, an especially meaningful work to Michelle given her family’s history in farm work. Later, Flores worked on a labor compliance project with the Northern California Carpenters Council.

In 2024, Michelle moved to the Labor-Management Cooperation Trust Fund at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, where she was one of the few Latina women to hold senior positions. In 2025, she was appointed Deputy Director of Labor Standards for San Mateo County. 

Reflecting on her journey, Michelle sent Professor Logan a heartfelt message on June 23, 2025: “The program changed my life. You changed my life.”

Cassie Carrillo
National Education Association (Seattle-Tacoma)

While studying at SFSU, Cassie worked as a research assistant for Professor John Logan and was named the Labor and Employment Studies Honoree in 2016. Through Professor Logan’s connections, she interned with the Musicians Union and, after graduation, earned a one-year position with UNI Global Union in Geneva, becoming one of six SFSU Labor Studies students to complete this program.

Upon returning to the United States, Cassie joined UNITE HERE Local 2 in San Francisco and was later awarded a $30,000 Minority Student Fellowship to pursue an M.A. in Labor Studies at The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). After completing her graduate degree, she worked for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 32BJ in Atlantic City before moving on to the National Education Association in Seattle. In addition to her full-time role, Cassie also consults for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

With the encouragement of John Logan, Cassie has helped current SFSU Labor students get internships and fellowship to help advance their post-graduation careers, especially those in the labor field.

Danich Ho
National Union of Healthcare Workers (Bay Area)

Born in Cambodia, Danich Ho moved to the United States at the age of four. After taking Labor and Employment Studies courses at SFSU, she decided to pursue a career in the labor movement. Through the Labor and Employment Studies mentorship program, Danich connected with Quinton Silket, who was then working at UNITE HERE Local 2. This connection led to a life-changing internship opportunity at Local 2.

Danich continued working at Local 2 until the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was laid off. Soon after, she was hired by UNITE HERE International to work on the 2020 election campaign, first in Reno, Nevada, and later in Georgia during the special Senate elections. Her career continued to grow as she became a Project Director at San Francisco Jobs with Justice, focusing on projects supporting immigrant workers.

Building on her experience, Danich went on to work at IFPTE Local 21, alongside Quinton Silket and Audrey Garza, and later joined the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), where she works with former SFSU Labor Studies honoree and veteran union organizer Jake Doolittle.

Matthew Miller 
Northern California Carpenters Council, Head of Labor Compliance, and Executive Director, Workforce Defense League

Matthew was a single father who had worked in construction for over a decade before starting his Labor and Employment Studies degree at SFSU. As a result of his work experience and fluency in Spanish, Professor John Logan arranged for him to intern with a union-side law firm on workplace safety and at the Northern California Carpenters Council (NCCC). After graduation, Matthew was hired as a labor compliance officer by the NCCC and is now Head of Compliance and Executive Director of the Workforce Defense League. Matthew says he wakes up every morning thinking, “I can’t believe I get paid to do such a rewarding job.” Matthew hired another Labor Studies graduate, Michelle Flores, at NCCC and has provided opportunities and internships to several other SFSU Labor and Employment Studies students.

Selena Perez
Master in Public Policy (MPP) Candidate, UC Berkeley
2022 College of Business Hood Recipient

While pursuing her Labor and Employment Studies degree at SFSU, Selena Perez worked with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) on the Fight for Fifteen and gig worker campaigns under the mentorship of Professor John Logan.

Growing up, Selena faced significant economic challenges: her father was imprisoned for 15 years and later deported to Mexico. Determined to build a better future, she left home at 17 to pursue an education, attending three community colleges before transferring to SFSU to major in Labor Studies.

During her time at SFSU, Selena played leadership roles in community organizations in East Oakland and Richmond, balancing her studies with activism and union work. Today, she is pursuing a Master in Public Policy (MPP) at UC Berkeley’sThe Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP).

In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Selena was named the Lam Family College of Business Hood Recipient in 2022, the first Labor Studies student to receive this honor. (The second was Leah Rose Fillingim-Selk in 2025.)

Quinton Silket
International Professional and Technical Employees Union, Local 21 (Bay Area)

Quinton’s interest in labor and civil rights was shaped by his mother, who had been active in the California Nurses Association and engaged in civil rights issues. Inspired by her example, he enrolled in Professor Logan’s Labor and Employment Studies class, where Logan first introduced Quinton to Mike Casey, then president of UNITE HERE Local 2 union. Quinton soon secured an internship with Local 2 and was hired full-time while still completing his studies at SFSU.

In his academic journey, he became one of the first recipients of the Ernest Dillard Labor Studies Student Scholarship, named in honor of the UAW Education Director and prominent civil rights leader, and was recognized as a Labor Studies honoree in 2017.

At Local 2, Quinton led the Boycott Department for several years before continuing his union work as an organizer and workplace representative with IFPTE Local 21 in Martinez, California. Alongside his impressive labor career, he is also a prize-winning jiu-jitsu fighter and a dedicated civil rights advocate.

Leah Rose Fillingim-Selk
Young Workers United/Trabajadores Unidos, 2025 Lam Family College of Business Hood Recipient

The Lam Family College of Business Hood Recipient for 2025, Leah exemplifies the academic excellence, social justice advocacy, and personal resilience that define so many SFSU students. After being diagnosed with autism, she became deeply involved in autism and disability advocacy on campus, using her voice to promote inclusion and awareness.

Following the murder of George Floyd, Leah testified twice before the Antioch City Council, calling for the creation of a Mental Health Response Team and the prohibition of police holds that cause positional asphyxia. Leah has been active in Jews for Palestine in the Bay Area and Judíes x Palestina in Argentina, where she went as an exchange student. 

An outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate, Leah continues to uplift the queer community. She now works with Young Workers United/Trabajadores Unidos in San Francisco, supporting workers and uplifting marginalized voices across the city.

Alisa Pokrovsky
Global Operations Manager, Benchling (Seattle)

An immigrant from Russia and later Israel, Alisa worked as a research assistant for Professor John Logan while pursuing her Labor and Employment Studies degree at SFSU. She secured an internship at San Francisco’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE), where she contributed to drafting the city’s Lactation in the Workplace ordinance.

Alisa was awarded a scholarship to attend Cornell University’s Summer Labor Strategic Research workshop and graduated with the third-highest GPA in the College of Business. Following graduation, she received multiple job offers and decided to join Benchling, a biotech firm, where she now serves as Global Operations Manager.

In addition to her professional success, Alisa is pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Washington and remains a proud SFSU alumna, having helped establish the LinkedIn page for Labor Studies graduates.