California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, Sacramento, California: Darcy Totten, Director of Communications

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For more than 50 years, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls has identified and worked to eliminate inequities in state laws, practices, and conditions that affect California’s women and girls. In 2019, Darcy served as the Interim Director of Operations at the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls as the organization began a period of intense growth and [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] then transitioned to [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] Director of Communications, building a robust communications department, developing new internal policies, building a social media pipeline and audience, and developing a crisis communications plan and a multi-year strategic communications plan. She also authored and art directed the Commissions' first ever Annual Report issued to stakeholders and legislative partners which offers a historical record on the Commission’s work and status of women and girls during these turbulent times and won several national awards. Simultaneously, she built increased recognition of the Commission and its work with the First Partner’s Office on the #EqualPayCA campaign through press and partnerships with Global Ties [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] and NorCal World Trade Center, and multiple other international groups to elevate California’s gender equity work to the global stage.  

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1. Darcy led the external affairs elements of the first-of-its-kind Women's Recovery Response grant project, building legislative and private partnerships, focused materials, and developing the #WomenAreEssential campaign to raise awareness and support for the needs of women in the ongoing pandemic.  Notably, the Commission advocated for and was awarded a state investment of $5 million dollars to insert structural support and resources into a network of local county and city commissions while CCSWG acts as a statewide convener, facilitator, and oversight administrator.  To prepare for this effort, she spearheaded a complete redesign of an outdated website, created internal guidelines and communications plans, and built a team of professionals including staff and consultants to expand the reach of the Commission's communications efforts and generate new partnerships across government and nonprofit sectors.
2. The Women’s Recovery Response $5 million Grant Program represents the first time the state of California has dedicated resources, under the oversight of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, to the specific needs of women impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Darcy worked closely with Executive Director Martinez and Programs Director Tifani Bartow to develop this grant program from the ground up, establishing guidelines, creating all external facing communications, and messaging, supporting budget advocacy, reviewing applications, and developing the year-long training and support program for grantees. Grantee activities, public hearings, reports, trainings, advocacy events will all provide a significant opportunity to increase the influence of women across the state on the policies and budgetary decisions that impact their lives.

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As part of the Recovery Response effort, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls also received funding to develop a statewide California Blueprint for Women's Economic Pandemic Recovery in conjunction with the Recovery Response Grant Program. The Blueprint is the first of its kind and features a California [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] Policy Lab research project examining key elements and details of women’s experience during the pandemic with administrative data to document the overall labor market impact of COVID-19 on California women, evolution of women’s labor market outcomes, overall financial health and inequities, and safety net take-up over the course of the pandemic. Darcy served as principal author and editor as well as art director on the report, working closely with co-author Executive Director Holly Martinez and California Policy Lab and the California Research Bureau. 

The work holds an emphasis on the trajectories of groups of women who entered the pandemic already in economic difficulty and was released in November of 2022.

To prepare for these efforts, and future growth, Darcy spearheaded a complete redesign of an outdated website, created internal guidelines and communications plans, and built a team of professionals including staff and consultants to expand the reach of the Commission's communications efforts and generate new partnerships across government and nonprofit sectors. She also filled in on as a key coalition voice on lobbying efforts for the Commission’s co-sponsored legislation in 2022. 

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Blueprint and media materials for the #WomenAreEssential campaign and staffer bio are attached.