ERA honors Betsy Cotton as a lifelong advocate for women and strong supporter of ERA’s mission. She currently serves as Director of close the gap CA, a campaign to recruit and elect progressive women to the California legislature in 2014 & 2016. Betsy served as Development Director for The 2012 Project, a national, nonpartisan campaign of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University to increase the number of women in Congress and state legislatures. Betsy worked with ERA for many years in a variety of roles. As a lawyer, Betsy has practiced in the areas of gender discrimination, fair housing and consumer protection. She is a member of the Economic Development & Justice Donor Circle of the Women’s Foundation of California.

“I’ve had the good fortune to be connected to ERA for over 20 years; as a Ruth Chance Law Fellow, luncheon committee volunteer, Board Member and Board Chair. Whether supporting women firefighters’ equal rights to nontraditional employment, female students facing sexual harassment, undocumented women laborers exposed to harmful chemicals, or drafting the first in the nation state family leave legislation, ERA has been at the forefront testing new areas of the law, representing those no one else would, all to improve the lives of women and their families. Perhaps one day when we reach gender parity in our governing bodies ERA’s work will be completed. Until that time, I am grateful that ERA is there to speak up,” Betsy said.