Women’s Panel Aims for Higher Profile

When Sylmar resident Barbara Perkins becomes president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Women later this month, she hopes to make the public more aware of the group’s efforts.

“I’d like to see higher visibility for the work that’s being done on behalf of women,” Perkins said Friday. “I want to take the commission to another level and let women throughout the county know what we’re doing.”

In 1996, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky appointed Perkins to the 15-member commission, which makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on issues pertinent to women. As a result of a commission recommendation, the supervisors opened the County Office of Women’s Health last year to address such issues as cancer awareness, HIV/AIDS and access to health services.

In addition to her work on the commission, Perkins has served on the State Advisory Committee to the Public Utilities Commission, the Valley Leadership Institute and the executive board of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley. She is also founding president of the San Fernando Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women. As director of community relations and foundation for Valley College, she manages more than 30 scholarships and funds and is executive director for the College Foundation Board.

Perkins said she is excited about beginning her one-year term as commission president July 10.

“The work we do helps bring the supervisors closer to issues within their district,” said Perkins, 43, who is married and has a 10-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. “We have the ability to be a voice for women. It’s a great opportunity and a big responsibility, but I look forward to it.”