Adela Z. Ghadimi, Ph.D., Executive Director

Adela Ghadimi began her work with UFF as a three-term president of UFF-FSU-GAU, representing the Graduate Assistants of Florida State University. The proud daughter of immigrants, Adela is the first in her family to be born in the US and has always taken great pride in wanting to serve others in any way she can. Above all, equity and inclusion encompass everything she does. She is a doctoral candidate in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. Prior to beginning her doctoral work and relocating to Tallahassee, Adela lived in Washington, DC and worked in education policy and government relations and has prior professional experience in nonprofits, grassroots organizing and political campaigns. Adela has a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Miami. For the past three years, she served as Organizing Specialist and Service Unit Director for United Faculty of Florida for the past three years for the northern half of the state. Dr. Ghadimi is thrilled to tackle this new role to serve as the UFF Executive Director.

Most recently, Adela was selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders USA 2023, a program that seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders across the country. Together, Leaders will accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities with a focus on strengthening institutions across sectors toward a more inclusive, participatory democracy.

See article Adela Ghadimi co-published with Daniel L. Fay in the Public Administration Review in 2020: “Collective Bargaining during Times of Crisis: Recommendations from the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Cami Acceus, Labor Relations Specialist (Northeast/Southeast)

Cami has been passionate about the labor movement and social justice since she witnessed the positive impact that labor organizing had on her family. She has worked previously for the United Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, and she comes to us now from the Broward Teacher’s Union, where she has been serving local members since 2014. Her responsibilities at BTU included contract maintenance, solving issues, representing workers in grievance and administrative investigation proceedings, training stewards, advocacy, and building worksite leadership structure. With over 12 years of union experience, Cami looks forward to bringing her expertise to the United Faculty of Florida and to making a positive contribution to the union’s mission.

Cristal Cruz, Labor Relations Specialist(Central/South)

A long-term advocate for worker, women, immigrant, and student rights, Cristal Cruz joins UFF after having served FEA K-12 members as a Service Unit Director and Regional Specialist in the Southern Region. As an undergraduate student and Resident Assistant in the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in the early 2000’s, Cristal helped organize the Residents Assistant Union (UAW 2322), the first labor union of undergraduate students in the country. Since then, Cristal has served the hotel workers union, the Florida AFL-CIO, and community organizations in different capacities in the US and Canada. With over 15 years of professional experience, Cristal’s extensive work has included worker and community organizing, political organizing, campaign strategy, corporate research, and bargaining and advocacy. She has most recently served K-12 locals in the Southern Region as a chief negotiator and advocate. A native of Puerto Rico and proud Florida resident, Cristal will be serving UFF as a Service Unit Director focusing on organizing, bargaining and advocacy in the Central and Southern region. When she is not working on building our movement, you can find Cristal reading, hiking, practicing yoga, traveling, or color-coordinating lists.

Keegan Cox, Organizer

Keegan Cox began organizing in second grade by uniting classmates to save a sea turtle. At the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry and Syracuse University, Keegan dove headfirst into various campus and community environmental and social justice campaigns. In September 1998, in solidarity with 800 striking Syracuse University staff, Keegan co-founded the Student Coalition on Organized Labor (SCOOL). After completing a master’s degree in environmental policy & democratic processes, and a short stint at Syracuse Law, Keegan began a formal career in Union organizing. Over a decade as Lead Organizer for SEIU Local 509 in Massachusetts, Keegan led eight successful organizing drives of human service workers, and coordinated contingent faculty unionization victories at Bentley, Brandeis and Lesley Universities, as part of SEIU’s Faculty Forward campaign. Nature, books, music, physical activity and cookies are also passions.

Torrence Johnson, Sr., Organizer

Torrence Johnson, Sr. serves as Co-Founder, Board Secretary and Southern Conference Coordinator of the BMIU Institute For Labor Studies. He is a former Regional Director with The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Florida Council 79, AFL-CIO (AFSCME). Torrence has been in the labor movement since 1990, as the First Local Union President of  the United Steelworkers of America in Jacksonville, Florida. As a native of Jacksonville, Florida, he is a 1984 graduate of William M. Raines, Sr. High. He is also a graduate of Jones College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis on Pre-Law in 2011. Torrence has also been awarded a Two-year Certificate of Completion in Paralegal Studies from the University of North Florida Legal Studies Institute in 1996. Torrence has represented employees and unions before The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Board (W&H); The Occupational, Safety, and Health Administration (OSHA); The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) to name a few. On the State level, Torrence has represented employees and Unions before The Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC); The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR); the Florida Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission (RAAC) and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and other unlisted agencies. In his spare time, Torrence is an active member of Phi Theta Pi (ΦΘΠ) Greek Fraternity and several Mason affiliate organizations through his passion of serving his local community.

Eric Lindemier, Organizer

Eric Lindemier has over 30 years of successful experience in union organizing, contract negotiations, contract enforcement and health care administration. Eric began his commitment to service by earning his BS in Public Administration from Michigan State University.  Serving the members of the Metro-Detroit AFL-CIO, SEIU Healthcare Michigan, American Federation of Teachers – Michigan, and the Teamsters.  Eric has run for local school board and for Waterford, Treasurer.  Eric served on the Oakland Community Health Network ($400 Million annual budget) as the Chair of the Operations Committee (finance committee).  Eric holds a BS in Public Administration from Michigan State University.  In his free time Eric is an avid runner.