Last week, state Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis inducted the 2023 officers and new members of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women (FCSW).
The Commission was created over three decades ago by the Florida Legislature with the mission of raising awareness and celebrating the contributions and successes of women throughout the state. The CFO inducted the following 2023 officers: Chair Sophia Eccleston, Vice Chair Lori Day, Treasurer Rosie Paulsen, Secretary Claudia Medina Thomas, Member at large Jenna Persons-Mulicka, Member at large Maruchi Azorin, and Parliamentarian Belinda Keiser. The CFO also inducted the following new members: Melissa Stone, Maria Wells, Staci Sims, Kate English, Tina Vidal-Duart and Jennifer Collins. Additionally, the FCSW announced that they will be hosting statewide roundtable discussions to inform communities about the results of their recently conducted survey – The 2022 Voices of Women. The roundtables will occur in Jacksonville, Destin, Ocala, Orlando, Fort Myers and Miami and will provide women with an opportunity to share what matters most to them and highlight resources available through the Commission’s work on behalf of Florida’s women.
“It was an honor to swear in the 2023 officers and the new members of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women as well as highlight their recent statewide survey. The Commission works tirelessly to ensure the women in our state have the tools and resources necessary to be successful. As Florida’s CFO, inspiring women have shaped my career from day one and I wouldn’t be standing here today without their guidance, talent and dedication. I am confident that these officers along with the other board members will greatly improve the wellbeing of Florida’s women and I wish the Commission great success,” Patronis said.
Sophia Eccleston, the chair of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women said, “We are thrilled to embark on a journey throughout Florida as a commission. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to actively listen to women and girls, while also equipping them with invaluable information that directly address the issues they have identified in the survey.”
The 2022 Voices of Women survey identified key issues and the critical needs women and families perceive as important in their communities and highlights the viewpoints of all segments of the population from across the state. The survey gathered responses from women of all ages in Florida and found many areas that Florida women believe are important. Results from the survey show the topics women consider critical such as healthcare, economic security, political and public policies affecting women, caregiving, and security and safety. The full survey results are available at: http://fcsw.net/voices/. The roundtable meetings will be led by the Commission’s Public Policy Committee, which includes Committee Chair Belinda Keiser, Lori Day, Jenna Persons-Mulicka, Rachel Saunders Plakon, Melissa Stone and Maria Wells.
The Florida Commission on the Status of Women was created more than three decades ago by the Florida Legislature with the mission of raising awareness and celebrating the contributions and successes of women. The Commission has strengthened into a diverse group of leaders working together for the betterment of women and girls in Florida. The Commission’s strategic mission is to collaborate, educate, and celebrate girls and women in Florida.
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