Sacramento, C.A. – On March 20, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) honored the work of El Cerrito Mayor Janet Abelson as the 14th Assembly District’s 2006 Woman of the Year. Each member of the State Assembly honored one woman in celebration of Women’s History Month for her contributions to her family, community and state.

“Janet Abelson is a remarkable woman, who has provided important leadership on transportation, environmental and education issues.  Her years of service have greatly benefited not only the City of El Cerrito, but the East Bay region as a whole.  And she has done all of this while raising a family. I am thrilled to be able to honor Janet as my 2006 Woman of the Year,” said Assemblywoman Hancock. 

Abelson most recently served as Chair of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and has held leadership roles at a number of transportation agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, BART, and AC Transit. She also served on the policy committee that helped to develop the successful Rapid Bus Program on San Pablo Avenue, from Oakland to San Pablo. Mayor Abelson was the recipient of the California Transportation Foundation’s “Tranny” award in recognition of her advocacy on behalf of the Bay Area disabled community.

Abelson, the mother of five children, has played a leadership role in education through her 25 year involvement in PTA. She currently serves as an officer on the 32nd District PTA Board, Bayside Council Board and the El Cerrito High School PTSA Board.

Among Mayor Abelson’s many other accomplishments, she has served as chair of El Cerrito Earth Day for over ten years. She has led a project that includes over thirty work parties and a very successful community celebration each Earth Day.

The California Woman of the Year ceremony is an annual bi-partisan tradition founded in 1987 by former Assembly Members Bev Hansen (R-Santa Rosa) and Sally Tanner (D-El Monte). The women honored this year will be featured in the “Woman of the Year” exhibit at the California Museum for History, Women and the Arts (the California Museum). The exhibit, featuring the stories of the 120 women honored by the State Legislature, will be on display through April 23, 2006 and become a permanent part of California’s archive collection.