Countywide : 14 Women Recognized for Their Achievements

Fourteen “Women of Achievement” have been honored by the county Board of Supervisors, who recognized the current or former county employees for accomplishments in the workplace, academics, community service and home.

The recipients were Shirli Allen, airport engineer at John Wayne Airport; Nancy Clark, investigator with the public defender’s office; Myrna Hamid, senior staff development specialist for the General Services Agency; Peg Jones, supervisor with the General Services Agency; Margaret Kuo, chief criminalist for the Sheriff-Coroner Department; and Jan Mittermeier, chief of audits for the auditor-controller.

Also honored were Wendy Norwood, firefighter and paramedic; Carmen Witegon, employment services specialist with the Community Services Agency; Mai Cong, mental health specialist with the Health Care Agency; Karen Peters, senior staff analyst with the county Fire Department; Betty Shaffer, executive assistant with the Environmental Management Agency, and Penny Weismuller, program manager with the Health Care Agency.

In addition, two former county employees--Gail Patrick, a Personnel Department analyst, and Vina Spiehler, senior toxicologist with the Sheriff-Coroner Department--were also recognized. Spiehler was one of 12 Americans awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and will be studying next year in England’s Home Office Forensic Science Service.

The award winners, honored at a recent reception, were selected from 81 nominations by 20 county agencies and departments. The awards program was established at the request of Supervisor Harriett Wieder, and the reception coincided with National Women’s Equality Day, proclaimed each year by the President.