President
President
Karen got her start in the hospitality industry more than 20 years ago, working as a server at various restaurants and hotels across the country. In the late 1980s, as a banquet server and union committee at the Holiday Inn in Palo Alto, California, she began organizing the union. Since that time, Karen has led campaigns with UNITE HERE across the country in California, Las Vegas, New York City, Dallas, Chicago and beyond. Before serving as President, she was elected Executive Vice President of Local 1 in 2007.
Secretary
Secretary
Eric fell into the hospitality business 30 years ago after returning from a yearlong backpacking trip through the South Pacific post college. He was also lucky enough to serve as an adjunct professor at New York University, teaching in their Hospitality and Human Resource programs. Several years later Eric joined the Starwood Chicago team as the Complex Director of Human Resources for the Sheraton Grand Chicago and Westin Chicago River North. Thereafter Starwood was acquired by Marriott Hotels and Eric was appointed as Labor Lead for the Chicago Market. And in early 2020 he was promoted to market Director of Labor in Marriott’s Western Region.
Trustee
Trustee
Dan has been a member of UNITE HERE Local 1 since 2000, serving as Organizer, Lead Organizer, and Organizing Director. He has been assigned to several sectors of the hospitality industry including university dining, casinos, hotels, airport concessions, and airline and event center catering in the Chicago area. Dan has been designated by the Union to serve as Chief Negotiator in several negotiations across sectors and employers throughout the years.
Trustee
Trustee
Nicholas Jorgensen is a training manager for the Local 150 Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program. Nick joined the Operating Engineers union in 2005 and has worked for many different contractors in the construction trades operating many different pieces of large construction equipment in and around the city of Chicago. Nick and his wife live in a suburb of Chicago with their two sons. He is a devoted father who enjoys fishing and attending as many of his son’s games as he can.
Accounting Operations Specialist
Accounting Operations Specialist
Andrew Pitts is a service-oriented individual who graduated from New York University with a degree in Philosophy and brings the probity, diligence, and humility he learned there to every aspect of his work. It has been an absolute dream for him to work toward providing better employment outcomes and trade education opportunities in the greater Chicago area. Before joining UHCHI, Andrew spent a service year with the Americorp Vista Program working with 826CHI, a Chicago based non-profit dedicated to amplifying Chicago youth voices. Andrew is a dedicated friend, a loyal partner, and an Eagle Scout, who genuinely believes that we all deserve nice things and who can’t quite figure out why we can’t all get along.
Operations Associate
Business Service Liaison
Business Service Liaison
Culinary entrepreneur, Jim Cicero, joined UHCHI in December 2023 as Business Services Liaison after more than 25 years working in the hospitality industry.
Jim studied at Kendall College and honed his hospitality skills through early stints at the Ritz Carlton-Chicago, Lettuce Entertain You and Compass Group.
A veteran of both Front and Back of House operations, Jim is excited to work with our Culinary Apprentice Trainees, helping to get them truly ready to take the next step on their career paths.
Director Of Programs And Services
Outreach & Engagement Specialist
Lead Chef Instructor
Lead Chef Instructor
Chicago native Victor Martinez, who worked his way up from his father’s bistro as a teen to some of the most respected kitchens in the country, is now bringing fundamental teachings to the culinary internship program at UHCHI.
Victor’s upbringing in the kitchen is where he honed his love for cooking. After culinary school, Victor’s resume quickly took shape within the hotel Food & Beverage world. After positions at Hyatt, Sofitel, Renaissance, and Four Seasons, he started to look at cooking as an art form. Victor continued his career helping run the show at the luxurious Conrad Chicago, Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort and The Drake Hotel downtown Chicago.
During this time he was introduced into the world of teaching, assisting at Purdue University’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program. He became passionate about imparting the knowledge he had acquired through his 25 years experience to the next generation of chefs. Now he continues sharing his culinary knowledge and industry experience with his students at UNITE HERE Chicago Hospitality Institute’s Chef de Partie Apprenticeship Program.
Chef Instructor
Assistant Chef Instructor
While UHCHI is currently not hiring, we would love to hear from you if you are passionate about our work and think you would be a good fit for our team. Reach out to us and we are happy to keep a copy of your resume on file for any upcoming openings.
