Jeremy Lannan is national vice president for women and fair practices at the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal and D.C. government workers. He was elected to the position in August 2018 at AFGE’s 41st National Convention and was reelected during the 42nd National Convention in June 2022.
Lannan is one of the youngest – and first openly gay – federal employees ever elected to one of AFGE’s three national leadership positions. He also is the first male ever to lead AFGE’s Women’s and Fair Practices Departments (WFP), which promote civil, human, women’s, and workers’ rights for all AFGE members.
Lannan’s election to national office was a culmination of two decades of public service, starting when he was hired as a clerk by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1997. He soon joined AFGE Local 1438, which represents Census Bureau employees in Jeffersonville, Ind., and held numerous leadership roles in the local including steward, EEO fair practice coordinator, and executive vice president. During this time, he became certified as a national equalizer for WFP, advising and assisting locals nationwide with EEO representational matters.
Between 2012 and 2015, Lannan was national fair practices affirmative action coordinator for AFGE District 6, serving employees in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. In 2013, he began serving as EEO fair practice coordinator for AFGE Council 241, which is the exclusive representative for all bargaining unit employees in the Census Bureau. In this position, he helped develop contract language to ensure underrepresented employees were served through EEO and diversity-related committees and programs.
Before being elected to his current position, Lannan was an AFGE national organizer, actively signing up new members and contributing to AFGE’s record 27 consecutive years of membership growth. He has participated actively in AFGE’s Y.O.U.N.G. and Pride programs, representing under-40 and LGBTQ members, respectively – providing him a platform as a young leader for his voice to be heard.
Under Lannan’s leadership during his first term as the NVP for WFP, AFGE furthered its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by developing additional programs and constituency groups including AFGE B.L.A.C.K. (representing Black and African American members) and AFGE A.P.O.W.E.R. (representing Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian members), and working diligently to revitalize AFGE HISCO (representing members who are Hispanic or of Latin American heritage).
Lannan has received numerous awards recognizing his leadership and commitment to AFGE members, including the Augusta Y. Thomas Award for District 6, the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Champion Award, the EEO Public Servant Award, and the Outstanding National Organizer Award.
Lannan is a native of Louisville, Ky, and a proud uncle to his 2 nieces and 2 nephews.