Meet the Staff

Forrest Bennett was elected President of the Oklahoma AFL-CIO in November of 2025. He was serving his 5th term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives at the time, and resigned from the legislature to take on the job of the presidency full-time.

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Elected to the legislature in 2016, Forrest regularly credits the early and constant support he received from organized labor during his campaign. During his nine years in the state house, he worked closely with the OK AFL-CIO and its affiliates. His work with the labor movement inspired him to seek union membership, and he joined the Oklahoma State Workers Union (CWA/OSWU 6086). 

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Forrest grew up in Bartlesville, in northeastern Oklahoma, before attending the University of Oklahoma to earn a political science degree, graduating in 2012. He returned to the school to pursue a Masters degree in Public Administration, which he earned in 2016, shortly before his election to the legislature.

Isabella Rodriguez is passionate about local civic-engagement and is a previous-educator from Oklahoma City. She graduated from Mount St. Mary Catholic High School and Completed her Strategic Communications degree from Oklahoma State University. After teaching middle school English, she worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Oklahoma House of Representatives. 

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Her dedicated work to the constituents of Oklahoma House District 88 and 89 was recognized last year by winning the 2023 NextGen Under 30 Award for Policy and Public Service. She is also a proud union member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 381. 

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Isabella advocates for equitable representation in local government through ideas of politically caring for communities, working families, radical empathy, and empowering young people of color in Oklahoma to engage in politics.

Christy Ferrell was born and raised in Oklahoma.  She has lived in Midwest City nearly her entire life.  A graduate from Midwest City High School, Christy also attended the Mid-Del Vo-Tech to learn office skills, such as computers and ten-key.  Through encouragement of her father, she applied and was hired for a position with the Professional Fire Fighters of Oklahoma (P.F.F.O.) in early 1990’s.  A few years later, with the help of a partial reimbursement program through the P.F.F.O. and her union contract, Christy finished college at Rose State Junior College with an Associates in Business Administration.

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In March of 1999, Christy was hired by the Oklahoma State AFL-CIO as the Bookkeeper/Secretary, later incorporated into Executive Assistant.  Christy is a proud union member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 381 since August 1995, where she has served as Vice President, Trustee and currently as Financial Secretary.