Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed Helen Han, The CEO of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Woman Business Owners (NAWBO-LA), to serve as a commissioner to the Los Angeles City Commission on the Status of Women. Her term on the seven-member board will last until June 30, 2012.

In response to her appointment, Han said, “The status of women in today’s society still demands that we raise our voice … wield our influence … and leverage our profile to change and impact the culture in which women live and work – expanding our definition of self-interest so that it embraces the larger question of who we are as a society. I thank the mayor and the members of the City Council for the opportunity to help bring about positive change to the face of women’s issues in Los Angeles,” she added.

As head of an organization that strives to propel women entrepreneurs into economic, political and social spheres of power, Han will bring her expertise to help the Commission promote the general welfare of women in the greater Los Angeles region and assure all women the opportunity for full and equal participation in city government.

“At NAWBO-LA, we believe that it is up to each one of us to own the future. ‘Owning the future’ goes beyond business ownership. It speaks powerfully to our shared responsibility for taking ownership together of a future that belongs to all of us.”

Under Han’s leadership, NAWBO-LA has markedly strengthened its standing in the business community and has established strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to fulfill its mission. This appointment will serve to bring about a new dimension to the organization’s efforts in promoting economic empowerment, creating cultural change and transforming public policy.

Prior to joining NAWBO-LA in February 2003, Han served as the senior program manager at the Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where her primary responsibilities included the oversight, development and execution of academic conferences and executive education programs.

She was also a woman entrepreneur for over seven years as owner of a San Fernando Valley-based preschool. Her entrepreneurial experience helped Han to experience firsthand the power of how business and community can work together to bring about meaningful and lasting change.

About NAWBO-LA:

One of 80-plus nationwide chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners, NAWBO-LA represents the interests of more than 335,000 women-owned businesses in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, employing over 700,000 people and generating more than $113 billion in annual revenues. Together, NAWBO-LA and the Enterprise Institute of NAWBO-LA work closely to ensure that women entrepreneurs are recognized as a public policy voice to be reckoned with, a formidable economic force, and as effective agents for change in the dynamic business environment that is Southern California. For more information, visit www.nawbola.org.