Chelsea
Orvella
WIA Labor Liaison
As WIA Liaison, Orvella works to find alternatives to plant closure and job dislocation, and when such closures and layoffs can't be avoided, she helps the affected workers have access to job retraining and reemployment opportunities available through the WIA. She works closely with the Washington State Labor Council's other WIA Liaison Bill Messenger.
Before joining the Washington State Labor Council, Orvella worked for U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-9th) from 1998 to 2008, the last six years from his Tacoma Congressional office, where she served as a liaison to organized labor. During her tenure with Rep. Smith, Orvella worked closely with local stakeholders to help craft improved Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation and assisted in local TAA petitions as the need unfortunately arose, as in the closure of the Miller Brewery in Tumwater.
Previously, she worked in the Rep. Smith’s Washington, D.C. office, while earning her B.A. in English from George Washington University. Chelsea was raised in the South Sound by a third generation longshore family and currently resides in the Tacoma area with her husband, John -- a member of Operating Engineers Local 612 -- and their daughter, Grae.
Although Orvella's responsibilities take her all across Washington state, she is based out of the WSLC's Olympia office. She can be reached at 360-943-0608 or corvella@wslc.org.
Copyright © 2008 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO