Nate Fairman has spent a decade of his life developing his skills as a Journeyman Lineman constructing high-voltage power lines. At the age of nineteen, he began a four-year apprenticeship with IBEW 465 which included 8,000 hours of on the job training. At 25 he was elected to the Executive Board of IBEW Local 465 where he founded a Young Worker group focused on volunteer work and building community-labor partnerships. In 20016 at the age of 29, he was elected to become the youngest Business Manager to ever lead the 2,900 member labor union since its inception in 1904. In 2019 he was re-elected to his second three-year term and continues to successfully negotiate dozens of union contracts and agreements on every property that set the gold standard for utility workers in Southern California. 

Nate is a native of San Diego and was raised by a single mother whom he lost as a teenager after a difficult battle with cancer. At a young age he provided for his family and worked at a fast food restaurant while attending high school where he developed a tremendous respect for working families from all walks of life. After graduating he began his apprenticeship and enrolled in the Labor Studies program at San Diego City College where he found a passion for organized labor.

Nate sits on the Executive Board of the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, the Executive Board of the California Association of Electrical Workers (CSAEW), the Executive Board of the California Coalition of Utility Employees (CCUE), and on the Board of the John S Lyon’s Memorial Foundation, a local non-profit that focuses community partnerships and awards tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships each year to the children of union members. Nate continues to work to ensure the voices of working families are valued and respected from the jobsite to the capital.

He is also a Proud Family Man and is happily married to his wife of 7 years Christie and they have a 5 year old son Luca and a 4 month old son Leo. Focusing on bringing together our IBEW 465 families at union and community events has been a priority for him as he hosts popular events each year like our annual IBEW 465 Holiday Party/Toy Drive, the IBEW SoCal BBQ and Chili Cookoff, IBEW Day at Padres Petco Park, our annual holiday food drive and the letter carriers food drive at the San Diego Food Bank. 

IBEW Journeyman Lineman - Card # 7510780

Raul “Kiko” Diaz has been an IBEW Local 465 member for over 27 years. He began his career at San Diego Transit as a Bus Cleaner and Servicer on January 18, 1994. He worked his way through the Transit Apprenticeship Program and became a Journeyman Mechanic “A”. He got involved in his Union early in his career and became a Shop Steward. He also became the Recording Secretary then the Chairman for the San Diego Transit Unit. While on his third term as Chairman he was hired as Business Representative in 2015. A few years later he was promoted to Assistant Business Manager of this Local Union where he continues to successfully assist in negotiating union contracts and agreements on most properties that improve the lives of thousands of utility workers in Southern California. 

Kiko was born and raised in South East San Diego. He is happily married to his wife of 8 years Irelia and they have a 7-year-old son named Andres together. Irelia has 3 kids from a previous marriage, Karla, Simon Jr, and Lesley whom he loves as his own. Kiko has returned to College attending Labor Studies classes furthering his education and improving his skills as a Union Advocate for our IBEW 465 members. 

Kiko sits on the Executive Board of the San Diego Transit Security Funds, is a Trustee on the San Diego Transit Retirement Trust Fund, Trustee on the San Diego Transit Pension and Investment Fund and a Trustee on the San Diego Transit Health and Welfare Trust Fund. Kiko continues to attend employee benefits conference to ensure the members are represented properly with all the up-to-date information.

Matthew Fish has spent 18 years of his life working for San Diego Gas & Electric.  In 2007 as an Helper in Equipment Operations, he saw a need for representation and became a Shop Steward. In 2014 he became the Executive Board Member for fleet, and in 2019 became the Locals Vice President.  Matthew became the Assistant Business Manager in 2020.Matthew is a delegate for the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council.  

Matthew is originally from Ferguson Missouri, Currently resides in El Cajon California for the past 21 years.  Matthew has 3 Daughters, Annie (20) Marianne (17) and McKayla (16).  Matthew’s favorite hobbies are Barbeque and watching his daughters play sports.  

IBEW Underground Gas Technician A - Card # 7839542

Anabel Arauz has been a Union and Community Organizer for over a decade. She has spent the better part of her adult life advocating for workers and fighting to give families the protection of a Union contract and dignity in the workplace. She started in the labor movement as a rank-in- file member of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135 where she participated in the historic Southern California grocery workers strike in 2003. In 2010, through her activism and participation with her union, she went to work for UFCW as an Organizer where she led several organizing drives and was a huge part of improving the environment at that Local Union. She began her career with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 465 in 2017 as a Membership Development and Business Representative where she leads both internal and external membership organizing drives and represents members at MTS Trolley and The New Children’s Museum.  Throughout her career, she has organized hundreds of workers and most recently made history in San Diego by unionizing the first museum.

Born in Chula Vista and raised in San Ysidro by a single mom Anabel learned at a very young age the value of hard work and to never give up. She became a mother at the age of 16 and had to grow up quicker than most girls her age. She graduated high school and began working a union grocery store. Having a union job afforded her to ability to provide for her family with a steady income and affordable healthcare benefits. She is driven by her own experiences and struggles to advocate the importance of unions and standing up for injustices.

Anabel sits on the Executive Board of Pillars of the Community, a local non-profit dedicated to helping those affected by the criminal justice system and on the Board of the John S. Lyons Memorial Foundation, a local non-profit that focuses on labor and community partnerships. She is a member of Coalition of Labor Women (CLUW), a national organization for women in the union movement. In 2015, she was named Organizer of the Year by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. In 2016, Anabel was awarded “Women of the Year” recognition by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez her outstanding work in the community and in 2019, she was awarded the Chair’s Award from the San Diego Democratic Party.

A second generation Mexican American born and raised in Calexico, California Cesar is the second born of five children. Four boys and a girl.  His mother worked in retail and his father worked for U.S. Gypsum for 48 years as an electrician before he retired.  

Brother Cesar worked for the Imperial Irrigation District for 38 years and retired in December 2020 and immediately joined the staff at our Imperial Valley Hall as our Lead Union Rep. He worked as a Journeyman Hydro Operator Leader overseeing 8 hydro power plants with a total of 16 generators and overseeing 7 journeyman hydro operators and 3 apprentice hydro operators.  He was also an apprenticeship instructor for 6 years and developed the teaching curriculum that was approved by the state and the Imperial Valley College.

Cesar is a family man who has been married for 44 years to his wife, Maria Elena, who is also retired and is a Regional Representative for CSEA region 53 and Area K mentor which include San Diego and Imperial counties. The two have 3 sons and 7 grandchildren.  

Brother Perdomo have been involved with IBEW Local 465 for over 35 years in different capacities as a Chief Shop Steward, vice chairman and chairman in Imperial Valley.  He enjoys helping employees exercise their rights in the workplace and advocating for better wages, benefits and a safe working environment.  He has also just been appointed to the IBEW 465 Executive Board where he also represents the workers in our IID Unit. 

Teresa Loroña is a Part-Time Imperial Valley Business Representative/Organizer. She works alongside Cesar Perdomo and George Moses in our Imperial Valley Office representing 900 hourly Imperial Irrigation District (IID) employees from Imperial Valley and La Quinta Area. She also assists with the Utility Tree Service in Imperial and Coachella Valley and works to educate our members and the future members of all the great benefits that come with being a member of IBEW Local 465.

Before joining the team at the Local Union she worked at IID for about 20 years. She was on the Volunteer Organizing Committee when we first organized our Union at IID for better wages and a voice in the workplace back in 2005.

She loves her work at the local union and shares that “I see our Union growing first hand every single day. Whether it is in size, power, or influence, IBEW Local 465 is stronger than ever before. I will continue to work to increase our membership and I will not stop until every single employee at IID is a proud due paying member of our Union. We need to stand together because when employees opt out it only makes the boss stronger and the workers weaker.” She also encourages all our Imperial Valley members to get involved and come to the monthly meetings.

Kristen started working behind the scenes with IBEW Local 465 in 2004 as an Assistant Dues Clerk & Receptionist.  With her bookkeeping background she was the natural fit when her mentor, and the Local’s long-time Office Manager, Cindy Nelson, decided to retire. She now works as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the Business Manager where she managers grievances, scheduling and the day-to-day operations of the Local Union Hall. 

Kristen is dedicated to the members and causes of the Local and the Brotherhood in it’s entirety.  “I’m always ready for the worst-case scenario so I am prepared for whatever happens. Growing up I understood struggle and the importance of hard work and I carry that self-made loyalty with me to this day. IBEW Local 465 has provided me with stability that I never had, and that I always needed.”

On top of managing the Local Union Office, Kristen is a dedicated Mother and spends her time raising her incredible daughter, Marlie or in a constant search for the nearest body of water to relax by.

With her knowledge, hustle, integrity and pleasant personality, she is a vital member of the team at IBEW Local 465.