Jeff Graves is a native San Diegan union organizer with the Service Employees International Union, Local 221. SEIU Local 221 represents nearly 13,000 public sector, school district and non-profit workers from different jurisdictions within San Diego and Imperial Counties. Nationally, SEIU represents over 2-million members (including members in Canada and Puerto Rico). Jeff independently represents over 1,200 workers in the Downtown San Diego region from County of San Diego District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation, Department of Child Support, Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk and Treasurer-Tax Collector, as well as the Housing Commission and Superior Court. Jeff fights to improve the lives of working families by enforcing their contract, encouraging civic engagement and democratic participation through their union, training them on their rights as well as educating workers about the importance of the union.

Before working with SEIU Local 221, Jeff was a rank-and-file member activist and shop steward with the County of San Diego Recorder's office. He proudly served the County for 10 years in records management, dealing with public and confidential information. As a public servant, Jeff took part in the historic 2008 California Supreme Court ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage, serving as a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages and performing LGBTQ ceremonies. He later went on to protest the results of Proposition 8 (banning same-sex marriages) and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community by rescinding his status as a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages for the County of San Diego, vowing to not participate until marriage equality was fully restored for all Californians.

Jeff is also an active member of various community organizations, including the Coalition for Labor & Community Solidarity (CLCS), Lambda Archives and Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO).