in addition to her role as afa-cwa's president, friend is one of eight women on the 46-member afl-cio executive council. as an afl-cio council member, she presides as chair of the public affairs committee. she also serves as a member of the financial oversight committee of the transportation trades department as well as serving as the department's secretary-treasurer. in addition, she serves on a number of other afl-cio committees, including legislative/public policy, women workers, organizing, strategic approaches, international affairs, subcommittee on independent union raiding, appeals committee, and the committee on ethical practices, committee on finance. she is also a member of the board of directors for working america, a community affiliate of the afl-cio. most recently, friend has been appointed by the afl-cio president to serve on the board for the national endowment for democracy.