March is Womens’ History Month
IFPTE Profiles Our Women Leaders

International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world every year on March 8. 

Across Canada and the United States, women are organizing in their unions, workplaces, and communities to demand change. International Women’s Day is about recognizing our collective victories and preparing for the coming challenges in the ongoing fight for women’s rights and gender equity.  

Within IFPTE, countless women are leading the fight. Every day, they are problem solving and advocating for improvements that lift us all up. Their efforts add to the spectrum of women that make our labor movement strong.  

During the month of March when Women’s History Month is observed, IFPTE will highlight some of these incredible women making history in our union. “We’re proud of the accomplishments achieved by IFPTE women, and it’s important to celebrate our trailblazers who work tirelessly to drive progress that make a difference for working people,” says IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson. 

Read about the Women Making History in our union here.

If you know a woman in your IFPTE Local that should be added to our Women Making History profiles, please send us a photo and short bio of the individual you wish to nominate to womensnetwork@ifpte.org.  

Happy Womens’ History Month!

Gay Henson
IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer

Gay Henson was elected IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer in August 2021 at the union’s 60th Convention. Before that, Gay served on the IFPTE Executive Council as Eastern Federal Area VP since 2012, representing U.S. federal workers east of the Mississippi and focusing on the many issues facing these dedicated public servants.

Gay’s local union is the Engineering Association (EA) - IFPTE local 1937). The EA represents ~2500 white collar workers at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). She has served as their President since 2005. The EA membership includes engineers, scientist, technicians, IT professionals, program administrators and operation support specialists. TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider serving 10 million people. Her leadership of the EA has included successfully campaigning to stop the outsourcing and privatization of 220 TVA IT workers’ jobs during the pandemic by engaging community partners and labor support.

At TVA, Gay is employed in work management at the Sequoyah Nuclear Station as a Project Control Specialist. Her TVA career includes many years as a Health Physicist providing radiation protection to workers, the environment and the public.

Henson, studied at Oak Ridge Associated University (ORAU) were she received certification in Applied Health Physics. Graduating from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BS degree, she currently resides in Chattanooga, TN with her husband Maurice.