The Florida Commission on the Status of Women is a nonpartisan board, statutorily created in 1991, The Commission’s mandate is to study and make recommendations to the Governor, Cabinet, and Legislature on issues affecting women. These recommendations are presented in the form of an annual report that is distributed in the first quarter of each year.

Welcome to the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. 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 and girls. The Commission has continued to grow and strengthen into a diverse group of leaders working together for the betterment of women and girls in Florida

I am humbled to serve this year as chair. I was appointed to the Commission in 2018 by Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer. I accepted wholeheartedly and was eager to serve and learn more. Since then, I have chaired the Public Policy Committee and dove into roles as treasurer and vice chair. In the last few years, I have learned so much about the Commission and the vital role it serves in our state.

Today, with two years of a pandemic behind us, we have learned to be resilient and adapt our processes with the changing times. I intend to continue to provide content both virtually and in person to amplify the awareness of issues affecting women and girls in our state. Virtual events, for example, have provided the opportunity to reach more people than ever before.

In order to make this a successful year, we want to collaborate with local commissions, college groups and other women’s organizations to highlight new opportunities and resources. I look forward to listening and learning from those of you who would like to reach out and share your thoughts and ideas. We are more effective when we all work together for the same shared goal.

As the 2022 chair, I am grateful to be surrounded by amazing commissioners, staff and 21 other leaders and to be part of a collaborative effort to continue strengthening Florida as we empower women.

Thank you for your interest in the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.

Sincerely,

Sophia Eccleston

For more information, please contact the Commission at (850) 414-3300.