SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Department on the Status of Women has released the following statement from its director, Dr. Emily Murase:
“After faithfully serving the City & County of San Francisco for the past 15 years, I have decided to leave my position as director of the Department on the Status of Women to care for the immediate needs of my family and pursue other professional opportunities, effective March 20, 2020.
“When I began this position in 2004, I managed a budget of $2.4 million and a staff of six. Today, the department has a budget of nearly $10 million, a professional staff of eight, and over $10 million in federal, state, and private grant funds to end violence against women and girls.
“Through robust collaborations with government agencies, CBOs, and other stakeholders throughout the city, my team accomplished many notable achievements: after escalating domestic violence homicides that reached into the double digits, we eliminated all domestic violence homicides between 2010-2014; launched the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking in 2010 and the Mayor’s Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking in 2013 to end modern day slavery in San Francisco; and, launched a national campaign to advance women’s human rights, Cities for CEDAW, that now includes over 50 cities and counties, including Salt Lake City and Miami-Dade County.
“Finally, in the fall, I worked closely with Commission on the Status of Women President Breanna Zwart and the other members of the commission to develop a new strategic plan for the commission and the department. I am confident in the abilities of the current commissioners and department staff to fulfill this comprehensive and robust blueprint for advancing the status of women and girls throughout San Francisco and beyond.
“The Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women is organizing a farewell reception on Thursday, March 19, 5 – 7 p.m., at the Main Library Skylight Gallery, with many thanks to City Librarian Michael Lambert. Details and RSVP information available here: paybee.io/@friendscosw@3.
“It has been an incredible honor to work with and alongside all of you. I hope that you will stay in touch.”