Elaine McGuire

Elaine is a dedicated labor leader, advocate, and electrical industry professional with nearly three decades of experience in the construction and electrical trades. She began her career after joining IBEW Local 98 in her mid-twenties, completing her apprenticeship and earning her journeyman electrician status. Throughout her 29-year career, Elaine has contributed to some of the Philadelphia region’s most significant construction projects, including Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park, Comcast Center and Comcast Technology Center, the Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion, and the Limerick Nuclear Generating Station, where she made history as the first female electrician to work on the facility’s cooling towers.

While Elaine loved working as an electrician, she quickly recognized the unique challenges women faced in a traditionally male-dominated industry. From ill-fitting personal protective equipment and inadequate jobsite accommodations to the lack of representation in leadership positions, she witnessed firsthand the barriers that often discouraged women from remaining in the trades. As a working mother, she also experienced the stigma many women encountered when balancing family responsibilities with demanding construction careers. Rather than allowing these challenges to define her experience, Elaine became a passionate advocate for creating more inclusive and supportive workplaces for all union members.

Today, Elaine serves as a Member Service Representative for IBEW and the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC), a role she has held for nearly four years. In this position, she oversees diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives while helping members navigate workplace concerns and access valuable resources. She also coordinates the Rosie’s Girls pre-apprenticeship program, introducing high school girls to careers in the electrical trades and helping build the next generation of skilled women electricians. Through her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to equity, Elaine continues to strengthen opportunities for women and underrepresented groups throughout the construction industry.