Heidi Drygas

President

Heidi Drygas is the Alaska AFL-CIO’s President as of August of 2026. Most recently, Heidi Drygas has served as Executive Director for ASEA/AFSCME Local 52 since February 2023. A lifelong Alaskan, Heidi grew up in Fairbanks. She is the daughter of two proud public servants, who instilled in their three kids the importance of workers’ rights and union solidarity since before they could walk. She has served the Alaska labor movement in many capacities, first as general counsel to the Alaska Laborers Union for a decade, followed by serving as as Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for Governor Bill Walker. Previous to her role with ASEA, Heidi served as legal counsel and consultant for many of Alaska’s largest labor unions. She also ran as an Independent for Lt. Governor with Bill Walker in 2022.

Heidi holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a law degree from Willamette University College of Law. She lives in Juneau with her husband, Kevin, and a daughter, Olive. 

Kim Hays

Political Director

Kim Hays joined the Alaska AFL-CIO in April of 2012. Kim is from a union family of Letter Carriers, where the importance of solidarity was instilled in her from a young age. She is proud member of UFCW, Local 1496. Kim is a UAA graduate with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies and a master's degree in public administration. Kim spends her free time with her husband and three children cooking, reading, and playing in the great outdoors.

Alex Jorgensen

Deputy Political Director

Alexander Jorgensen officially joined the Alaska AFL-CIO in January 2021. He is a proud member of UFCW, Local 1496. Alex is a proud UAA grad with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. In his last year of undergrad, he interned for then-State Senator Tom Begich and was then hired by the Alaska AFL-CIO to run the Save Our State coalition. In 2025, Alex completed his Master’s in Public Policy by conducting a research project on the impact of the AFSCME v. Janus case on Alaska’s public employee unions.

In his free time, Alex enjoys playing pickleball and following the New Jersey Devils hockey team.