same opportunities to women that they
do to men, she also notes that the deli-
cate balance of women’s professional
and personal roles remains a challenge.
• Wendy Barfield, a Supervisor in Deeds
and Research, has a wealth of experi-
ence in property appraisal work from
two counties in Florida and currently
leads a team of four. Her unique experi-
ence as an African American woman in
the workplace gives her a different per-
spective — that it is more difficult for
women of color to ascend to leadership
roles. Still, she sees “a lot of women in
great positions” at OCPA, and her big-
gest challenge as a leader is to get all
the work done in a timely manner while
keeping morale up.
• OCPA’s Manager of Customer Service
and Outreach, Usha Tewari, shares a
similar commitment to her team of 14,
by trying to “inspire, educate and moti-
vate” her employees every day. Believ-
ing that a “strong mind is the most pow-
erful tool a woman can possess,” Usha
challenges women to seek out OCPA’s
many opportunities for success. Also,
as the primary care provider for a
relative with health challenges, Usha
notes that the need for self-care is so
important for working women who are
pulled in many directions.
• Another Manager with lots of experi-
ence, Melissa Martin leads the Residen-
tial Field Appraisal team and takes her
responsibility for their training very seri-
ously. She nurtures them to seek addi-
tional educational opportunities to en-
hance their growth and promotion
prospects within OCPA. Very proud of
OCPA’s women, Melissa finds them to
be professional and dedicated.
• OCPA’s HR Manager, Barbara Jubran,
has been in the HR profession for many
years, and has been involved in innova-
tive initiatives that have resulted in more
opportunities for women. Although
OCPA is fortunate to have low turnover,
her biggest challenge is talent acquisit-
ion because low unemployment and in-
creasing job opportunities in our market
make it hard to hire high-quality candi-
dates. The work environment at OCPA is
respectful and inclusive for both men and
women with equal opportunities to grow.
• Midge Smith, Supervisor of Exemptions
and Compliance, has been with OCPA
for nine years and manages a staff of
seven. Her biggest challenge is finding
ways to get the job done better, faster,
and easier…AND to have a little fun in
the process. As for women in the work
place in general, Midge — who has
worked professionally for some 30
years — says, “we’ve come a long way,
but we need to get paid more.”
• The newest member of OCPA’s group
of women in leadership roles, Beth
Watson, Manager of Communications
and External Affairs, also has a wealth of
industry experience and has seen prog-
ress in workplace issues for women. As
for the unrealistic goal of women “hav-
ing it all” at work and at home, Beth is
not so sure. “It has not been my experi-
ence that you can have it all, but you can
come pretty close.”
Recent research from the Institute for
Women’s Policy Research indicates that
it is still a “man’s world” in the U.S. labor
market. On average, men still earn more
for the same job and women are dispro-
portionately penalized for taking time out
of their careers. On a national level, this
must change.
Under my leadership at OCPA, we are
committed to ensuring that we are a fam-
ily-friendly place to work and that both
men and women are valued and com-
pensated appropriately and equitably. In
addition, our office was one of the first
government agencies to set a minimum
hourly wage of $15 so that everyone who
works here receives a living wage.
I’m so proud of my staff…and so blessed
to have the level of talent and commit-
ment that they all represent. In honor of
this magazine’s celebration of women, I
am especially grateful for the women at
OCPA who are giving 100% at work and at
home every day.
Rick Singh, CFA
Orange County
Property
Appraiser
VOL 5, Issue 2
n
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