Elise Foster has been a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 11 and has worked as a letter carrier with the United States Postal Service for 30 years. In 2000, she was elected shop steward at the Cesar Chavez (60608) station, and in 2009, she was elected Recording Secretary for NALC, Br. 11 Chicago. In 2013, she was appointed Vice-President of Branch 11 and in 2015, she was elected to continue as Vice-President. In 2022 Elise was appointed President and then elected Branch 11 first woman President.  Elise is the first woman to be elected Recording Secretary and Vice-President of her Local.

 

Elise is a graduate of the NALC Leadership Academy Class Six and the Regina V. Polk Women’s Labor Leadership School. She earned a certificate in leadership from the University of Illinois’ School of Labor and Employment Relations-Women and Power Leadership Program. Additionally, she attended 2016 Midwest School for Women Workers. She has also completed coursework at Malcolm X College. 

 

Elise is also a mentor of graduates of the NALC Leadership Academy and a positive role model for those aspiring to become labor leaders within their unions. She has recently taken on the role of instructor at the NALC Region 3 (Illinois) Leadership Academy for letter carriers. Classes here focus on writing skills, public speaking, strategic planning, leadership styles, and much more. Elise is the personal mentor to three of the class participants as well. 

 

Elise was elected as a National AFL-CIO delegate to the 2012 National Convention as well as a delegate to the Illinois AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention. In 2015, she was the first recipient of the Regina V. Polk Alumna of the Year Award. And, in 2016, she was honored by the Chicago Coalition of Labor Union Women with the Florence Criley Award. In 2020 Elise was named Chicago Federation of Labor Woman of the Year. In addition to her work with Chicago CLUW and APRI, she is also the Recording Secretary of the Chicago Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU). 

 

Elise is dedicated to community service. Through the NALC, she has coordinated the Letter Carrier’s Food Drive for Br. #11 and worked with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Fundraising) and the Branch 11 Breast Cancer Fundraising Committee. 

When she is not fighting for workers’ rights, she likes to play bingo and spend time with her family including her daughter Jalisa who currently lives in Chicago.