As we approach our 2024 trip to the Philippines, we are excited to introduce the remarkable group of delegates who will be representing our organization. This trip will bring together a diverse team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise, passion, and commitment to our shared mission. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to prepare for this journey, one that promises to foster meaningful exchange, collaboration, and impact.

Noreen Buckley (Co-Founder)

Noreen has been working as an electrician for 10 years, 7 of which she has spent as a union electrician in the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).
She completed her apprenticeship in San Francisco, CA USA through IEBW Local, Local 6. Recently she moved back to her hometown of Philadelphia PA USA and now she splits her time between the two cities. 

During her time in Local 6, she helped start the Golden Gate Women’s Committee and was co-chair for 3 years. She also started a Local 6 weekly soccer team, the Hall Stars. Outside of her union participation, she has had the opportunity to participate 3 times in the Ideal Electric National Championship. She feels honored to represent women on a national, televised stage, and is proud to be a union tradeswoman. Noreen has been a leader in TBB since our 2019 India delegation. Playing prominent roles in the London and Philippines delegations as well.

Amber McCoy (Co-Founder)

Amber McCoy, born and raised in Oregon on the west coast of the United States, began their career in Construction over 20 years ago. After several years working non-union, they went through the Oregon Tradeswomen TACC program and eventually joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters as an apprentice in 2006. McCoy completed the apprenticeship in 2010 and graduated with honors as the Carpenter Apprentice of the Year. In 2012, they left the field to work for the Union and have held many positions, elected and appointed in the Union and their community.

McCoy has taken on a leadership role for the Philippines delegation. They are involved in the logistical planning and will be helping our carpentry workshop for the Fillapina trades sisters.

As an advocate for Unions and Tradeswomen, McCoy has traveled the globe attending, planning, or presenting at various locations, including the USA, Canada, Philippines, Australia, India, Spain, and the UK. They are always excited to support the fight for Union Strength and Solidarity and Tradeswomen’s place at the table.

Cassandra Klewicki (Co-Founder)

Cassandra’s story in the construction trades began when she was an Americorps volunteer working on trail crews on public lands. This experience made her realize she loved working with her hands and she joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in 2017, first as an apprentice and eventually as a journeyworker and shop steward. She participated in the 2019 delegation to India and took on a leadership role for the 2022 England delegation, eventually filling TBBs researcher role after completing a masters degree in Labor Studies from the City University of New York School for Labor and Urban Studies. 

Her academic achievements complemented her practical experience and prepared her for broader policy work. Her expertise and passion caught the attention of the New York State government, leading to her selection for the prestigious Empire Fellowship through the governor’s office. This opportunity brought Cassandra to Albany, New York where she serves in the Department of Labor’s Policy, Research, and Strategy division, allowing her to influence workforce policies at the state level.

Amanda Kay Johnson (Co-Founder)

Amanda Kay’s journey into the construction industry began through the AmeriCorps program in 2012 as a Construction Crew Leader for Habitat for Humanity in New York City.  She entered the Local 157 Carpenters Union in 2016 and graduated as a Journeyperson in 2021.  During her time as an apprentice, she completed her Masters Degree in Civil Engineering with a Construction Management emphasis at New Jersey Institute of Technology, served in multiple unelected leadership roles within her union, and co-organized the monthly NYC Tradeswomen Meet-Up.  Amanda Kay is a leader for the 2024 delegation to the Philippines and was previously a leader for the 2019 delegation to India and the 2022 delegation to England. 

Outside of carpentry, her passions include traveling, exploring diverse cultures, reading, being with family, journaling, hiking, and learning to fly planes.  

Veronica Godinez (Co-Founder)

Veronica is a Journeywoman Cement Mason from Northern California in the United states. She has over 25 years of experience in the trades. She is currently the Training Director for the Northern California Cement Masons’  Joint Apprenticeship Training fund, vice president for her  Local union, and a member of her International unions women’s committee; Steel Edge Women. She was a delegate for TBBs 2019 trip to Kerala India and she is a cofounder of TBB.

Cynthia Frank 

Cynthia Frank has around 45 years of experience as a carpenter. She was initiated into the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in 1979 and her career included the roles of Apprentice, Journeyman, Forman, General Foreman, Superintendent, Recording Secretary & Past President Carpenters Local 945. Notably, she was the first ever female to become president of a carpenters local in the UBC. She was also a key logistics leader for the 2022 TBB trip to London. 

Not one to slow down during retirement, Cindy currently sits on the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Sisterhood Steering Committee, the Missouri Women in Trades Board of Directors, and the Cole County Historical Society, Board of Directors. She is the co-chair of the Action Committee at the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen Issues, a  United States Department of Labor Apprentice Ambassador. 

In her free time, she enjoys traveling and supporting her 11 grandchildren’s activities. In her past life she ice skated with Ice Capades just out of high school before her career choice in Carpentry. ‘The glamor of it all”.

Doreen Cannon

Doreen has been a union plumber since 1998. She was elected the president of plumbers local 55 in 2010 after four years of serving on the executive board. She served as president until her retirement in 2022. She is the chair of the Cleveland Building Trades (CBCTC) Tradeswomen Committee and was Crain’s Cleveland Business Women of Note in 2017. From 2012 to 2022 she was a full time plumbing instructor with the Local 55 joint apprentice training center. Doreen was a TBB delegate during our 2022 trip to London and she will be leading our plumbing skills workshop for our Fillapina trades sisters.

She is currently an Outreach and Recruitment Consultant with Cleveland Builds and Cleveland Building Trades. She is also the Northeast Region Director for ASSE International’s Board of Directors. She has one son Tommy who started kindergarten in the same year that she started her apprenticeship.

Angel Anderson

Angel is a scaffolding apprentice in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 343 from Winnepeg, MB Canada.  She has been scaffolding for about 5 years and is currently a level 3 apprentice. She is a former boxer and CrossFit enthusiast outside of work hours, and will be representing female scaffolders on the upcoming CBC television show Canada’s Ultimate Challenge where she will compete with a team in obstacle course challenges throughout the country. 

Casey Aelbers

Casey Aelbers is an apprentice electrician who lives in Vancouver, BC Canada. She is also a commercial beekeeping graduate and has been practicing this craft for 9 years. She has a background of mentoring, teaching and training in her community, and abroad. She began her career in farming and she is passionate about collaborating with women in non-traditional occupations. She volunteers her local electrical union IBEW 213, BC Women in Trades Society (BCCWITT) and helps to run a variety of networking events in her city. She loves working with her hands, spending time outdoors, and traveling the world. In her spare time, she practices beekeeping. 

Diana Limon

Diana started her career as an apprentice in Los Angeles, CA United States of America in 1995.  Upon completion of her apprenticeship, she began teaching the electrical apprenticeship and supervising work as a foreman and general foreman out in the field.   She served on the staff of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 11 for fifteen years in the Compliance Department and as Training Director of the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute for five years.  Since 2023, she currently serves as the Director of Women Recruitment & Support and continues to assist in the Compliance Department for IBEW Local 11.  She received her BA in Labor Studies from the National Labor College and M.P.A. from the University of Baltimore. 

Kristine Byers

Kristine Byers is a Red Seal Journeyperson Carpenter and Union Business Representative with Carpenters’ Regional Council (CRC), in Edmonton. She is passionate about diversifying the workforce through the inclusion and advancement of women, Indigenous workers and other underrepresented groups in the trades. Prior to moving to Alberta in May of 2023, she held several positions on various BC boards including being a governance member for the B.C. Centre for Women in the Trades (BCCWITT), a director of BuildTogether BC, and Chair of the Sisters in the Brotherhood committee for B.C. and Yukon.

Kristine has worked in a variety of areas within the carpentry field, over the past 15 years, to make herself a well-rounded professional and carpenter. In the field she has held many leadership  positions including Job Steward, foreperson and superintendent and worked in a variety of industries from heavy industrial concrete formwork, in the mining industry, to commercial renovations and even to building spaceships in the film industry.

In her spare time Kristine enjoys giving back to her community through volunteering, being active, doing arts and crafts, traveling on her motorcycle and spending time with her husband and young daughter.

Lori Griffith

Lori is a  28 year member of IBEW Local union 481 from Indianapolis IN United States of America. She was a founding member of their Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, their veterans and women’s committees. She is a trustee and recording secretary for their  Apprenticeship fund. She is also a United States Air Force Veteran who was stationed in the Philippines where she served as an aircraft crew chief. Her hobbies include hiking, kayaking and remodeling houses. She has ample carpentry and plumbing skills, even though she is an electrician by trade. Her passion is traveling.

Myra Hildreth

Myra has been an Inside Wireman Electrician member of IBEW Local 11 in Los Angeles CA, USA for nearly thirty years. From apprentice to journeyman to foreman, she has always been dedicated to upholding her union’s high standards. She is a mother of three, and a proud member of a family that has contributed to IBEW Local 11 for three generations. 

Rachel Cloutier

Rachel Cloutier is a Red Seal Electrician from Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is an active member of the IBEW 213 and their women’s committee. She was recently invited to present about women’s Personal Protective Equipment in front of the provincial government. In her free time, she enjoys many fitness related activities such as hiking, powerlifting and gardening/farming.

Tonia Rivers

Tonia Rivers is from Brooklyn NY USA. She is a military spouse and mother of three, has a 19-year career in the construction industry. Over the years, she has held various roles, including serving as a senior project manager for large-scale commercial general contractors and as a key stakeholder for a federal government agency. Presently, Tonia is the owner and president of WLS Construction Consultants LLC, the founder of the nonprofit organization Mothers In Construction (M.I.C.), as well as the host of the podcast. Committed to supporting and championing mothers in the construction field, she passionately dedicates herself to providing valuable resources and advocacy within the industry.