LaWanna Preston is the Director of Labor Relations for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). As a highly qualified Labor Director, her responsibilities include but are not limited to collective bargaining, meet and confers for General Orders and policies, department items that fall within the scope of representation, and initiatives related to police reform. She also advises and represents the Police Commission. LaWanna’s diverse and lengthy background in public sector labor relations provides invaluable leadership and expertise to the Command Staff of SFPD. She resolves complex and difficult issues while establishing productive, strong relationships with labor partners.

LaWanna has over thirty (30) years of proven success negotiating MOUs, conducting meet and confers, supervising discipline and grievance processes, representing management and labor in arbitration and PERB hearings, hiring, training and leading staff to high productivity levels, and developing and implementing policy and procedures. For twenty (20) years, LaWanna served as the San Francisco Staff Director for SEIU Local 790, the largest public sector union in Northern California. She was responsible for managing staff, bargaining and the administration of twenty-five (25) MOUs, developing and implementing strategic plans, and overseeing and coordinating the political program and field campaigns.

Lauded by her peers, local and national elected officials, and community leaders for her accomplishments, LaWanna has received numerous awards and recognition from California State Assembly as well as congressional leaders Barbara Lee and Nancy Pelosi. LaWanna served as the statewide President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Delegate to the Democratic State Convention, and many other community organizations over her long career.