MARGARET TAYLOR, as Director of the San Mateo County Health Services Agency, is responsible for a $192 million budget, 1,500 employees, and 200 contractors. She was the first woman appointed department head in county government. Yet her nominator points out that she goes far beyond her official position in serving her community. For example, she has worked hard to identify the specific health needs of women, initiating prenatal care programs and creating conferences on breast cancer and increasing breast cancer education and screening for women of color. Together with the San Mateo Rotary Club mentorship project, she set up an employment program for young women and minority students in Health Services. She has developed many partnerships with community organizations to enhance care for their constituents. Her work with the Hispanic Concilio resulted in the award of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant that consolidates funds to assist the Concilio to expand health education and intervention to over 3,000 clients a year.
